Yes, it’s true that Sabotage is profane, gory, mean-spirited, and violent. It may very well be one of the most violent mainstream films in decades. Very deserving of its hard “R” rating, it’s like the love child of a grind house slasher and a Sam Peckinpah western. And it’s also true that Arnold Schwarzenegger still can’t act. But the Governator’s pics have always been more about spectacle than substance. And his latest is certainly big on spectacle.

Speaking of spectacle, those stepping in to Sabotage expecting a nostalgic visit to the “Ahnuld” throwback days of pumped-up muscles, quippy one-liners, and non-stop action sequences will be quite surprised by the excessive grit, blood, and shocking savagery that splatter nearly every frame of David Ayer’s film. In fact, it’s so “not Arnold” that it can be better enjoyed by forgetting that Schwarzenegger is even in it. Sylvester Stallone or even an 80+ year-old Clint Eastwood might have been a better fit. But, alas, Schwarzenegger is in it, so he gets plenty of screen time and way too many speaking parts. It’s a better film when he’s not on screen. Sabotage is a David Ayer pic through and through with his signature shaky cam, non-linear narration, and first person point-of-view he used so effectively in his much underrated End of Watch.

Schwarzenegger plays Breacher, a 60-something DEA special operations agent in charge of a unit that appears to have gone bad. As the film opens during a raid on the home of a dangerous drug lord, we see Breacher and his men (who go by names such as Pyro, Tripod, Grinder, and such) skimming a $10 million chunk of cash from the pile of confiscated drug money.

When Breacher and his crew return to the scene to recover the stolen money, they discover it has gone missing. But who took it? When members of the crew also begin to turn up missing (in increasingly horrific and grisly ways), speculation abounds that perhaps it is the cartel returning for revenge. Or maybe one of their own revisited early to grab the cash and is now making sure no one comes wanting their share.

Ayers has the germ of a brilliant idea here in the script he co-wrote with Skip Woods (A Good Day to Die Hard). They’ve effectively concocted a gangland-style stew seasoned with the mystery of a whodunnit, and the clock-ticking intensity of Ten Little Indians. But it’s the cast of wild-assed characters and palpably filthy atmosphere that provide the film’s greatest pleasure while also countering the oaken presence of Schwarzenegger. A few, brief scenes of Schwarzenegger’s Breacher contemplating his scarred past – his wife and child were tortured to death by a drug cartel years ago – come off as hammy exposition rather than creative introspection. Better to just keep the camera away from him.

Surprisingly, it’s the dynamic performance of Mireille Enos, as fellow DEA agent Lizzie, that floats to the top of the testosterone-charged heap of he-men special agents. She, along with Olivia Williams as an Atlanta investigator, are essentially the only female cast members, but both provide just the right amount of “sexy” while never compromising their “tough.” Williams, though, is at times over her head with the sympathetic role and her comical “Southern” accent. The presence of both women is greatly appreciated however, and it’s admirable that Woods and Ayer provide strong female roles.

Sabotage comes across as pure spectacle and exploitation, nothing more. But what a fun spectacle it is! While the violence often goes  over the top and at times feels humorously gratuitous, it’s also quite satisfying to see such outrageous ferocity accompanied by a stylistic visual panache and a somewhat complex plot that keeps viewers guessing. No, Sabotage will never be compared to Inception. But it will be forever difficult to think of Kindergarten Cop in the same way.

(Released by Open Road Films and rated “R” for strong bloody action, pervasive language, some sexuality/nudity and drug use.)

Review also posted at www.franksreelreviews.com.