Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- tense
- propulsive
- gritty
- action movie night
- crime thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics found the film brisk and energetic but ultimately too familiar, convoluted, and formulaic to rise above average action-thriller entertainment.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Chris Farraday has abandoned smuggling, but his brother-in-law's failed drug deal forces him to undertake another dangerous trafficking job.
Briggs threatens Chris's wife and family, turning their protection into the central pressure behind the smuggling mission.
Chris boards a freighter bound for Panama and uses the ship's cargo infrastructure to move contraband and counterfeit currency.
The central rescue mission expands through counterfeit money, drug trafficking, customs risks, and escalating threats from Briggs.
Films like Contraband, and why
The Town
shared crime thriller framework, one-last-job premise, family jeopardy, and brisk action pacing
The Departed
shared smuggling operation, criminal underworld pressure, ensemble crime plotting, and grounded action tone
Ocean's Eleven
shared heist mechanics, criminal teamwork, escalating complications, and accessible action entertainment
The Italian Job
shared international drug trafficking, maritime danger, and morally pressured protagonist protecting loved ones
Movie Details
- Director
- Baltasar Kormákur
- Release Date
- 2012-01-12
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (2286)
Cast
- Mark Wahlberg
- Kate Beckinsale
- Ben Foster
- Giovanni Ribisi
- Lukas Haas
- Caleb Landry Jones
- Diego Luna
- J.K. Simmons
- David O'Hara
- William Lucking
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Contraband about?
- A reformed smuggler boards a freighter for Panama when a drug dealer threatens his family and demands one final, perilous score.
- What is Contraband like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Contraband as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Contraband violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Contraband as brutal.
- What did critics think of Contraband?
- Critics found the film brisk and energetic but ultimately too familiar, convoluted, and formulaic to rise above average action-thriller entertainment.
- Which films are like Contraband?
- Films with a similar feel include The Town, The Departed, Ocean's Eleven, and The Italian Job.
- How long is Contraband?
- Contraband runs 109 minutes.
- Where can I watch Contraband?
- In United States, Contraband streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel.
