“Trigger Warning” is heavy action, small story

HOLLYWOOD — I was really happy to see Jessica Alba back on the big screen. Small or tall, the actress is quite talented and her skills have been underutilized in the cinematic universe of late. That all changes with her latest film courtesy of Netflix, “Trigger Warning.” What can I say about “Trigger Warning”? It’s not a terrible movie, but it’s not a great one either.

However, since audiences can watch the film through Netflix and don’t have to go to the theater, it’s the perfect B-movie to entertain yourself on a lazy day or just something to watch. The big problem with the film is that audiences have no idea what it’s really about. Based on the teasers, I thought it was a special forces film investigating some shady dealings in the military.

No, that doesn’t happen here, but Alba plays Parker, a special forces officer who must return to her hometown after learning of her father’s death. The first ten minutes of the film are action packed. Parker is a skilled technician with a knife, and she uses it well to take out a few threats in combat. There’s a bit of mystery, enough to keep viewers hooked. The intensity the audience feels at the beginning quickly fades when Parker returns to Creation.

Please don’t ask what the name of the town is, because even though it’s a fictional town, I could have come up with a name that would have been catchier, or at least more believable. Parker’s first visitor when she returns to town is her ex Jesse (Mark Webber), the Sheriff of Creation. He has his brother Elvis (Jake Weary), who is a loser and just seems shady. It’s no secret that he’s up to no good, which Parker immediately recognizes. When you think the Swann family couldn’t get any more chaotic, we meet their father, Senator Ezekiel Swann (Anthony Michael Hall).

The Swann family has secrets, and those secrets come to light when Parker begins to look into her father’s death. She learns that the accidental mine collapse that killed her father was no accident. Her buddy Mike (Gabriel Basso) helps Parker in her search for the truth about her father and the rise of crime in the town of Creation.

Let’s just leave the story aside because it really doesn’t matter. The action really helps where the narrative lacks. The hand-to-hand combat is well choreographed and staged by director Mouly Surya. If you want guns, you’ll get them with Trigger Warning. If you want explosions, this film has that for you too, but everything else is just boring, unfortunately.

The town of Creation should have been featured a bit more, as well as other characters surrounding our protagonist, alongside some of the shady characters that are poorly developed and run amok. If you’re looking for something great to watch, Trigger Warning shouldn’t be at the top of the list. If you’re hoping to watch something to pass the time, you might want to give this one a chance.