Critic's Grade: C+

Frank's film tip: You'll definitely smell what The Rock is cooking in Peter Berg's entertainingly boisterous buddy-buddy actioner THE RUNDOWN

Wrestler-turned-actor The Rock has been doing some mighty convincing body slams in the world of action flicks lately. Hopefully his day job over at the highly viewed televised outfit World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) does not miss him too much because it looks like Rocky has found his niche moonlighting as a big screen personality looking to assume the mantle of "the next best thing" in testosterone cinema. Say what you will but The Rock definitely brings along his brand of self-assured exuberance in his second starring role in the cocky but entertainingly exotic action-adventure The Rundown (his first lead role of course being in the sprawling cartoonish epic The Scorpion King).

Actually, The Rundown is somewhat overwrought and exhausting but one cannot dismiss the charisma of The Rock and what he means to this jolting escapist vehicle. Of course wrestling fans of The Rock have always realized how poised and pronounced his shrewd-minded shtick was during the lengthy course of his wrestling career. This muscle-bound entertainer has the "It" factor and grappling groupies had always known this fact thanks to his high-flying high jinks in the squared ring that has made him a fan favorite in the grueling world of headlocks and clothesline moves.

Well, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood got hold of "the People's Champ" so that he could spin his chaotic web into a frivolous frenzy and offer his energizing enthusiasm to the action pack crowd. In a short period of time, The Rock has somewhat shined in the explosive arena of raucous manly cinema that still caters to the old school of "bombastic- blow ?em up-real good" filmmaking that includes screen veteran contributors such as Arnold "the pumped-up politician" Schwarzenegger and Vin Diesel.

Actually, the premise is quite amusing and fits into The Rock's (a.k.a. Dwayne Johnson) arsenal of mischievous mode. He plays the role of a "retrieval expert" and does the dubious legwork for a crime lord (William Lucking). So what's his job description? Basically, The Rock is a combination of an enforcer and a collector?his forte is collecting whatever it is that needs to be collected in terms of outstanding payments, lingering debts, etc. The business of trying to corral debtors for shakedowns has worn out its course with The Rock as soon he contemplates leaving the scene altogether.

Before The Rock considers his retirement from the retrieval industry he is instructed to embark on one last mission by his superior. The assignment: to travel to Brazil and bring back his boss' roguish son (Seann William Scott). But this is easier said than done because the son won't budge from the Brazilian jungle until he hunts down the precious religious artifact that has consumed his curiosity up until this point. The Rock is very skeptical about helping his employer's charge track down this elusive piece of jewelry but he agrees to go along with the agenda despite his reservations.

It isn't long before the tumultuous tandem tangles with the dastardly main overseer (Christopher Walken) of the local gold-mining operations. Walken's gold mine guru is cold and calculating and doesn't think twice about running his cheap laborers ragged for his simple gains. And if you are astute enough to realize the twist to his madness, Walken too wants to get his paws on the same desired artifact that The Rock and Scott are sniffing out so relentlessly.

The Rundown does provide the sufficient adrenaline for action junkies that crave the conventional buddy-buddy flick platitudes. Actor-turned-director Peter Berg (late from television's Chicago Hope) musters up a lot of inane mayhem to keep the proceedings fresh at a rapid pace. Although the script by R.J. Stewart and James Vanderbuilt doesn't necessarily exhibit anything original or challenging in terms of its pedestrian format featuring mismatched misfits out for some animated high stakes adventure, the movie does invite the audience to appreciate its intriguing naughtiness. Berg does get bogged down in the recycled cliches of his rollicking actioner but one cannot dismiss the stylish presentation of his quirky project. The action sequences are ambitious and involving which brings a sense of pithy pronouncement to the flagrant festivities.

The characters are up to task as far as their over-the-top portrayals are concerned. The Rock feels quite comfortable on the big screen as he continues to man handle the middling material he's given to add some of his infectious personality that conquered the WWE universe which turned him into a household name. Scott is passably effective as the scuzzy rascal looking for redemption through the recreation of finding that trinket in hopes of defining his self-centered persona. And Walken returns to expected form as yet another twisted soul who poetically provides the surreal goods on becoming sordid antagonists with disregard to maintaining a keen slate of noble reality. Nobody can play a pathetic protagonist with such silliness and scariness as the excitable and unpredictable Walken.

For the most part, The Rundown is a guilty pleasure to behold. Sure, it's typically mindless and a retread of the carousing kinetic comedies that Hollywood routinely tosses about every once and a while. But this protrusive popcorn pleaser knows what it wants to accomplish without being phony about its objective. As for the enduring presence of The Rock, his crafty niche for being larger than life will definitely grow beyond his legendary popularity in the wrestling venues around the globe. This intentionally loud and showy action comedy was outfitted for him to wear with exaggerated super hero sensibilities and he has a pleasurable perverse time going with the ridiculous flow of this charming chase flick.

If you can smell what The Rock is cooking, then get a sensational whiff of his homemade cinematic snack known as the giddy and glossy executed The Rundown.

Frank rates this film: ** and a half stars (out of 4 stars)

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