In Wild Card, director Simon West (Con Air) offers us two movies for the price of one. We get a morality tale about gambling (yawn!) intermingled with a revenge sub-plot… except the latter carries no basis in reality.

Despite the occasional misfire -- i.e. War, The Mechanic and Blitz -- I enjoy a good Jason Statham movie. His remarkable depth brought to the fore in Safe made that film a personal favourite. Yet, not even this gifted actor/martial artist can repair the damaged core of Wild Card. Such manic depressive shifts in tone can only be the result of last minute tinkering. The script written by two-time Oscar winner William Goldman (“Nobody knows anything”) doesn't sit too well inside its own skin. Action scenes tend to ignite without preamble, a technique that’s difficult to reconcile.

Notable cameos from Hope Davis and Anne Heche offer glimpses of sunshine before the inevitable meltdown. Overall, Wild Card feels patched together with loose bits of baling wire. (Capsule review.)

(Released by Lionsgate and rated "R" for strong violence, language and some sexuality/nudity.)