Review: Wahlberg and Berg's 'Mile 22' is a dizzying assault

Mark Wahlberg's "Mile 22 " character James Silva has a tick where he snaps a yellow rubber bracelet against his wrist. He does this many, many times throughout this all-out assault of a movie, which seems to have been shot and edited with the singular purpose of leaving the audience confused and disoriented at every turn. This restless camera can't even hold still during a simple scene of dialogue, changing focus every two seconds — eyes, off-center face, hands, blood pressure monitor, and on and on.

That snapping sound is actually one of the more orienting things. Ah yes, you think, it's Silva calming his mind, which is apparently quicker than most people's resulting in both extreme intelligence and extreme anger, or so we're told in a similarly frenetic opening credits sequence with a lot of voiceovers. His mother gave him the bracelet so that he could snap it as a reminder to pause. While that's nice for Silva, it's also incredibly annoying for the audience.

On a broad scale, this movie is about counterterrorism efforts and trying to predict the unpredictable. There's a nuclear substance at large which, if released into the atmosphere, would be like "Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined" and all you need is "a kid with an envelope" on a street corner to release it. A man, Li Noor (the incredible marital arts stuntman Iko Uwais) comes to a U.S. Embassy saying he has the locations of the missing substance but will only give them up in exchange for asylum. So Silva and his paramilitary CIA unit, including Lauren Cohan, Ronda Rousey and Carlo Alban, all quit their jobs and become "ghosts" to take on the extremely dangerous operation of transporting Li 22 miles to a plane that will get him to the U.S. Overwatch is a "higher form of patriotism," John Malkovich's director-type opines to no one in particular.

This cover image released by STXfilms shows John Malkovich in a scene from "Mile 22." (STXfilms via AP)

"Mile 22" is one of the more disappointing collaborations between Wahlberg and director Peter Berg, who also made "Lone Survivor" (a similar assault), the self-aggrandizing "Patriots Day," and the quite thrilling and underappreciated "Deepwater Horizon." ''Mile 22" is the first that wasn't ripped from the headlines. It's a clear attempt at a franchise, and while this shadowy unit of operatives seems as fair game as any, Silva is a horrifyingly bad character, poorly developed and with no redeemable qualities who only ever seems to be shouting insults at all of his co-workers. They never seem all that fazed by it though. Is Silva just a maniac they tolerate? Did they all realize he's all bark and no bite? Doesn't that undermine his character from the get-go?

This is all too bad, because there are genuinely interesting elements about this film, like how at least 50 percent of the humans here, from intelligence officers, to code breakers, to ambassadors, are women. Not that that should be notable, but it is. Also Uwais has one truly stunning action sequence involving a gurney that is not to be missed. But the rest of the action is so obscured you're not even sure who or what you're watching most of the time. The only time it slows down is to show some of the most gruesome ways to kill someone that have been committed to screen this year (like how about dragging someone's neck across the jagged edges of a shattered car window over and over? That one got one of the biggest groans I've ever heard from an audience).

The script has a few surprises in store, but it's all too little too late even at a brisk 90 minutes. For a movie so excited to tell a story about the CIA's "most highly-prized and least understood unit," it sure doesn't do much to ensure you leave any more informed than you were when you sat down.

This cover image released by STXfilms shows Mark Wahlberg in a scene from "Mile 22." (STXfilms via AP)

"Mile 22," an STX Entertainment release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of American for "strong violence and language throughout." Running time: 90 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.

MPAA Definition of R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr

This cover image released by STXfilms shows Iko Uwais in a scene from "Mile 22." (STXfilms via AP)

This cover image released by STXfilms shows Ronda Rousey in a scene from "Mile 22." (STXfilms via AP)

This cover image released by STXfilms shows Lauren Cohan in a scene from "Mile 22." (STXfilms via AP)

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — If the world of high fashion has Fashion Week in Milan, with sleek models dressed in avant-garde looks strutting down the runways, then the golf world has the Masters, where players bound down verdant green fairways in azalea-inspired polos, exotic bird prints, the yellows of jasmine and the pinks of the dogwoods.

Over the last few years, golf apparel companies have begun treating the first full week of April as their moment to shine, unveiling lineups of Masters-inspired drops they hope can capture the attention of those focused on the season's first major.

The surf-style company Johnnie-O, for example, dips into the Deep South with its classic, understated Azalea Collection. Rhobak likewise offers an Azalea Collection, though with bold flower patterns designed to invoke the feel of being on the grounds of Augusta National. Malbon Golf, meanwhile, offers a “Birds of Georgia” set featuring images of those typically found about the course.

Yet none of them carry the iconic Masters logo. Or reference Amen Corner. Or use the words “Green Jacket.”

All of those are trademarked by the club — three of nearly 100 trademarks on file — and force outside apparel companies to creatively build their connections to both the tournament and Augusta National without infringing on their intellectual property.

“Makers of products for mass market dream of becoming a supplier to Walmart. Likewise, high-end brands salivate at the idea of winning a mandate from the Masters,” said John Sabino, author of “The Augusta Principles: Timeless Business Lessons from the World’s Premier Golf Club.” "Apparel companies want to tap into the Masters' high-quality association and leverage the club's exalted brand."

Yet tapping into that association is harder than it sounds

The Masters has its own retail operations that generate about $70 million in revenue this week alone, and nearly all of its products can only be purchased on site. It's not uncommon for patrons to drop thousands of dollars in a single visit to the main golf shop just off the first fairway, and then come back for more, eventually emerging with souvenir bags stuffed to the brim.

“I honestly think the Augusta pro shop is one of the best pro shops in golf,” Masters participant Tommy Fleetwood said.

But unlike the U.S. Open or PGA Championship, where familiar sporting brands like Nike, Adidas and Under Armour have their logoed apparel available, the gear from the Masters is primarily in-house products — no “Swooshes” here.

“Augusta National excels at using scarcity to create value,” Sabino said. “The only way to buy Masters-branded merchandise is at the Masters. Other sports and events allow people to buy online. Even Wimbledon. Augusta National is unique in this regard, so it creates a great demand for golf lovers who can’t attend the tournament.”

That's where companies like Johnnie-O saw an opportunity to fill a void with lines that are merely inspired by the Masters.

“Last year we had just a few pieces for the first major of the year,” said Dave Neville, the company's senior vice president of marketing, “and there was so much demand that we felt like we needed a full collection.”

Since launching its Azalea Collection, Johnnie-O's e-commerce sales are up 30%, and such “moment-driven merchandise” is one of the reasons the company is aggressively expanding from 14 retail locations to 30 over the next 18 months.

“With new golfers wearing Johnnie-O on (the PGA) Tour this year," Neville said, “we put additional emphasis on these moments.”

Malbon has turned heads at Augusta National the last few years with out-there looks for Masters participant Jason Day.

This year, the “Birds of Georgia” look includes both shirt and pants, each splashed with images of scarlet tanagers, eastern bluebirds and redheaded woodpeckers. But the combo turned out to be a bit too loud, Day explained after a practice round early in the week, so the club asked him to tone things down by wearing some khaki pants instead.

“I saw a couple people out there wearing the shirt and the full kit and kaboodle,” he said, “which is a little aggressive, but I like it.”

In other words, Malbon's marketing through the Masters has paid off.

TravisMathew is looking for the same kind of payoff with looks inspired by Masters participant Akshay Bhatia's “ favorite time of year. ” Callaway has a “Patrons Welcome” collection that includes one polo covered in a cascade of pimento cheese sandwiches. Ghost Golf offers a similarly coined “Patrons Only Collection" of classic, dark-green clothing and accessories. Puma Golf has its “30904 Collection,” named for the ZIP code of Augusta National, which leans heavily into peaches and greens.

“No ticket? No problem," Puma's site says. "The 30904 Collection was made to bring the Georgia state of mind to your watch party.”

By outfitting you just like you were on the grounds at Augusta National.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Jason Day, of Australia, hits from the fairway on the second hole during the first round of the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club, Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

A patron walks on the 17th hole during the second round of the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club, Friday, April 10, 2026, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, hits his tee shot on the 18th hole during the first round of the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club, Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

A patron watches during the second round of the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club, Friday, April 10, 2026, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Patrons arrive for the second round of the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club, Friday, April 10, 2026, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)