Michael Polish directs “Alarum”, a modestly budgeted action thriller that borrows so much from other movies that it has a tough time finding its own identity. But it’s helped out by Alexander Vesha’s script which features more pieces than a chess set. Not all of them fit together as they should or move the story forward as intended. But they keep things interesting and diverts our attention away from the film’s flaws.

Joe (Scott Eastwood) and Laura (Willa Fitzgerald) were high-value spies for their respected countries who met after she was assigned to kill him. But rather than carry out her mission, she fell in love with him. The two went off the grid, got married, and started a new secret life together. But as anyone who has watched a spy movie knows, you can’t just walk away from such a profession.

While vacationing at a mountain resort in Gdansk, Poland, Joe learns that Laura is working again. To make things even more complicated, a small plane crashes in the forest. While examining the wreckage, Joe discovers that the two pilots were both shot in the head. He also discovers a well hidden flash-drive which he secures before being interrupted by a mercenary named Orlin (Mike Colter). Orlin and his well-armed army are after the drive and immediately show they’ll do anything to retrieve it.

Elsewhere at a makeshift secret headquarters, the United States’ National Clandestine Service led by Director Robert Burbridge (D.W. Moffett) are alerted of the plane crash and surmise that the flash-drive is onboard. They also discover that Joe is in the area potentially working for a mysterious anti-intelligence organization called Alarum. It leads Burbridge to call on Chester (Sylvester Stallone), the agency’s lethal but messy assassin, to retrieve the drive and take out Joe.

Those are a lot of moving parts and Vesha’s script keeps the gears of his story turning at a fairly breakneck pace. Of course all of the players are destined to come together at some point. But before we do, Vesha treats us to some surprising alliances, just as many double-crosses, and a few reveals that are somewhat fun but not overall unexpected. It all culminates in a predictably violent climax topped with a tease for a sequel I’m not sure anyone will be in a hurry for.

While its story has enough kick to keep us moderately entertained, “Alarum” isn’t without its shortcomings, the biggest being with the action. There’s plenty of it, but too many of the scenes look cheap and inauthentic. And they aren’t helped by some hard-to-miss silliness along with a score that feels plucked from a 20-year-old video game (which admittedly has its charms but not for a movie like this). Meanwhile some of the dialogue will have you laughing for all the wrong reasons.

“Alarum” sports a notable cast, most of whom do their best to flesh out their fairly thin characters. The story leans on a number of familiar spy and action movie tropes, yet it twists and turns enough to keep us interested. But it hardly makes for anything memorable, especially when put alongside its room-temperature action which should be the backbone of a movie like this. Sadly it isn’t which is a key reason “Alarum” doesn’t quite hit its mark.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS