Inside you, there are two Denzels. One is considered one of the greatest thespians of our time, with multiple Oscar wins. The other is an elite action movie star who will gun you down with a one-liner just as quickly as he will with a bullet. "2 Guns" is a prime example of the latter.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Verdict: "2 Guns" does not reinvent the action movie by any means. It's a perfectly fine buddy cop action comedy that's elevated by the performances of its impressive cast. With a lesser cast, this would be a poorer movie, but this film's call sheet manages to elevate it into being genuinely good. Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg have excellent chemistry (far better than Denzel and Paula Patton) that drives the movie forward, and they play well off a trio of villains portrayed by Edward James Olmos, James Marsden and Bill Paxton.
Where to watch: Stream "2 Guns" for free on YouTube
Now, to be clear, it's not the best "action star Denzel" film I've come across in my Denzel Watchathon. "Crimson Tide," "Training Day" and "Man on Fire" would be my top three action movies I've seen starring Denzel Washington so far. But this buddy cop movie starring him and Mark Wahlberg is a perfect choice for a low-key popcorn-munching movie night. Sure, it's fairly violent (though a far cry from something like "John Wick"), but it manages to be relatively light despite some dark moments.
The real reason to stream this movie — well, there are two reasons, actually. First, it's currently streaming for free on YouTube, which means you literally don't have to pay a penny to check it out. Second, the chemistry between Denzel and Wahlberg is not just good, but a delight to watch. It's worth it just to see them on screen together, though they're aided by some excellent villains.
If you want to watch this movie before you read on, I have great news. While "2 Guns" is not currently on any of the best streaming services, it's streaming for free on YouTube for a limited time. So check it out now.
Malcolm has been with the Streaming team at Tom's Guide since 2023, reviewing dozens of movies each year so you don't have to watch the bad ones.
'2 Guns' succeeds thanks to some killer performances
Based on a 2007 comic book series of the same name, "2 Guns" stars Denzel and Wahlberg as criminals "Bobby Beans" and "Stig," respectively. These two are partners doing jobs for cartel leader "Papi" Greco (Edward James Olmos), but it seems like their careers could be cut short when they're stopped by U.S. Border Patrol coming back from Mexico.
Here are some of the other Denzel Washington movies I've covered to date in my Denzel Watchathon:
- "Cry Freedom" (1987)
- "Glory" (1989)
- "Malcolm X" (1992)
- "Philadelphia" (1993)
- "Crimson Tide" (1995)
- "Remember the Titans" (2000)
- "Training Day" (2001)
- "Man on Fire" (2004)
- "American Gangster" (2007)
- "Flight" (2012)
Read more: Every Denzel Watchathon movie so far
Turns out, though, that they have nothing to worry about, because Bobby is actually DEA Agent Robert Trench. He's been working deep cover in Papi's organization, hoping to put him away for life on racketeering charges. Stig is just some schmuck he picked up along the way, and he'll be tossed aside whenever they finally make the arrest.
Except Stig isn't just some guy. He's also got a double identity: U.S. Navy SEAL and Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Stigman. He, too, is working undercover. He knows that Papi has significant amounts of cash stashed in a bank in Tres Cruces, Texas, and he convinces Bobby to rob it. Bobby thinks he can use the cash to get Papi locked up for tax evasion, but Stig is secretly planning to take the money for the U.S. Navy so it can fund covert operations across the globe.
Things, obviously, don't go as planned, and from here, a web of conspiracy and betrayal is unraveled as Bobby and Stig discover they're both working undercover and secretly planning to burn the other once the job is done. That leads to some animosity (and a minor flesh wound), but they find they need to quickly set that aside once Stig's commanding officer (James Marsden) double-crosses him, and it's revealed that the money is secretly the CIA's, and one of its agents, Earl (Bill Paxton), is pretty mad that the money is suddenly gone.
It's these five people — Denzel, Wahlberg, Olmos, Marsden and Paxton — that make "2 Guns" more than just an average action movie. Ultimately, the action is nothing you haven't seen before if you've ever seen an action movie. There's nothing groundbreaking going on in terms of gunplay or fight choreography, with the possible exception of a car chase that leads to a brief fight between Denzel and Wahlberg through the driver's windows of their respective cars. Paula Patton's Deb Rees should be a far more interesting character given that she's Bobby's handler and lover, but I found Denzel had more chemistry with Wahlberg than with her.
But if anyone possibly steals the show from Denzel and Wahlberg, it's the trio of villains. Marsden, admittedly, is sort of just being charming yet evil James Marsden, but it works. Olmos, though, is a more complex villain. There's even one scene where he urinates on his own hands before beating people with a bat and if that won't grab your attention, I don't know what will.
Paxton as Earl is my favorite villain of the trio, though. He's chaotic evil personified; almost like the Joker but without being actually insane. He tortures and kills people without hesitation and is happy to cut any deal with anyone as long as it gets him back his money. While Denzel and Wahlberg were still the undisputed highlight of the movie for me, Paxton was a close second.
Verdict: '2 Guns' is a fun time, especially for free
Is "2 Guns" the best Denzel movie? No. Is it the best Mark Wahlberg movie? Also no, but getting closer. It's not the best action movie ever either. If you're looking for Denzel in pure action hero mode, there are better options, including next week's Denzel Watchathon movie: "The Equalizer."
But if you're looking for a fun movie to stream for free loaded with acting talent, then "2 Guns" is a great choice. It has some cool fights, great chemistry between its leads and a cast of villains that, while not the most deeply explored evildoers of all time, are certainly enjoyable to watch go toe-to-toe with our heroes.
Don't get me wrong, you'd have a good time with this movie whether it's free to stream or not. But only needing to spend money on whatever popcorn costs in this economy is a nice bonus and makes "2 Guns" perfect for your next movie night.
Stream "2 Guns" for free on YouTube now
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Subscribe to Tom's Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok.
More from Tom's Guide
