Jakarta. Dave Bautista’s “Afterburn” proves that not every action-packed film can burn one’s adrenaline. The film is set in a world hit by a massive solar flare that destroys pretty much everything. Bautista plays Jake, an ex-soldier-turned-treasure-hunter who searches for pre-flare rare objects, including the coveted Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa”.

The movie, directed by J.J. Perry, has a generic action intro -- definitely not a good start if it wants to keep the audience awake for almost two hours. Jake’s first on-screen quest is to find a violin. Despite the forgettable fighting sequences, the unique safe -- which unlocks using music -- surprisingly becomes one of the few memorable things from the movie. Jake then meets King (Samuel L. Jackson), a wealthy freedom fighter who sends him on another mission to find the Mona Lisa.

“Afterburn” fails to add depth to Jake’s character. He is just a macho man, and that’s it. The script -- credited to Matt Johnson and Nimród Antal -- does not really do much. We are only hearing the characters talk, but whatever they say doesn't really add to the story. Off work, Jake dreams of sailing off to the crystal blue seas, reflecting his desire to run away from the post-flare world.

He also gets some help from Drea (Olga Kurylenko), a freedom fighter who later ends up being the endgame couple. Unfortunately, not only does “Afterburn” fail to keep its viewers on the edge of their seats, but the two fighters’ chemistry is lackluster at best. The film has the ruthless warlord Volkov (Kristofer Hivju) as the big bad, although Jake spends most of his time taking down his lackeys, who don’t really fight back.

And yes, the plot twist did somewhat catch me off guard. The “Mona Lisa” painting that Jake has been looking for turns out to be an atomic bomb with a smaller version of la Joconde painted on the outer casing. Jake feels betrayed at first, but he ends up saving the world, as expected. “Afterburn” is now out in Indonesian cinemas. It has become one of the few action options currently available amidst the horror-dominated movie theaters. 

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