Kevin James’ ‘Guns Up’ is a great under-the-radar title on Paramount+
Kevin James’ ‘Guns Up’ is a great under-the-radar title on Paramount+
‘Gun Up’ slipped past most people in theaters, but on Paramount+ it hits way harder.
I recently spent some time scrolling through the Paramount+ movie library, and one title that I had to do a double-take on was “Guns Up.” Kevin James as an action hero? I honestly didn’t expect much. I just watched him fumble his way through the action beats in “Playdate” on Prime Video (which is very funny), so I figured this would be another one of those. Nope. Not even close. This is a tight, gritty little action-adventure movie that takes itself seriously in all the right ways. It’s smart, fast, surprisingly emotional, and the kind of under-the-radar flick that ends up being way better than the thumbnail makes it look. So, let’s get into why it’s underrated.
Best under-the-radar action-adventure movie on Paramount+
Why ‘Guns Up’ is the most underrated action-adventure movie on Paramount+
The first thing that caught me completely off guard was that Kevin James is actually great in this. Like, legitimately great. He plays Ray Hayes, a former cop who slipped into mob work, and he brings this tired, heavy energy that totally works for the character. After watching him purposefully struggle with the action in “Playdate” for laughs, seeing him here is wild. He’s calm, confident, scary when he needs to be, and somehow still believable as a dad trying to keep his family safe. It’s the kind of performance that makes you think, wait, maybe he’s got a second act to his career beyond baffoondom. That sounds like a dig, but it’s not because I love him in those funny roles. I just mean the guy’s got chops.
Then you’ve got the fact that this movie was basically invisible when it opened. It had a tiny theatrical release, so odds are if you wanted to see it, you’d have trouble finding a theater to see it in. It was also buried under giant releases, including the hype machine for “Nobody 2,” which is actually kind of a similar tone. It never had a real shot.
On top of that, people just didn’t buy Kevin James as an action lead. The early reviews were mixed; some folks said the tone wobbled, and the movie kind of slipped between audiences. Not mainstream enough to stand out, not niche enough to spark a cult following. It just got lost. Which is a bummer, because the movie actually does a lot right. The action’s rough in a good way. The family angle has heart. Christina Ricci is awesome and honestly steals scenes regularly.
And now that it’s on Paramount+, people are finally giving it a chance. It dropped on Dec. 1, and viewers are realizing this is one of those tight, mid-budget action thrillers that hits way harder than expected. It’s also just fun. Not silly fun, but the kind where you’re like, “Wow, that was way more entertaining than it had any right to be.” And it’s 90-something minutes long. No fluff. No bloat. Just a solid, gritty ride with a surprising amount of heart.
Guns Up
When a job goes horribly wrong, an ex-cop and family man who moonlights as a mob henchman has one night to get his family out of the city.
What is ‘Guns Up’ about?
“Guns Up” follows Ray Hayes, who’s been hiding his mob life from his wife while trying to cash out and start over by opening a diner. One last job goes horribly wrong, and suddenly he’s stuck between ruthless mobsters, a blown escape plan, and a family that has no idea what he’s been mixed up in. Ray’s trying to keep everyone alive while the whole criminal world seems to be collapsing on top of him.
What makes the story work is the mix of crime, family drama, and dark humor. Ricci’s character isn’t just the worried spouse but instead gets pulled into the chaos and becomes a real part of the action. The kids get involved in unexpectedly funny ways. And the supporting cast brings a ton of flavor. It’s familiar territory, sure, but the execution makes it click.
Other underappreciated drama movies on Paramount+
If you check out “Guns Up” and want more drama on Paramount+ that didn’t get the attention they deserved, there are three solid picks. “Fight or Flight” is a lean action movie I saw in theaters that gets better as it goes. “American Sniper” still lands with real force if you want something intense and character-driven. And “Finestkind” gives you a moody crime drama set against the fishing world in New England, which is way more gripping than it sounds. All three make great follow-ups if you’re in the mood for more grounded stories after watching Ray Hayes fight his way through his own mess.
Paramount Plus
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