Outta Time

Story Line: When an innocent plan to pay his tuition turns deadly, a college athlete (Lopez) is trapped in a violent struggle between the FBI and the Mob on the U.S./Mexico border.

Bottom Line: Originally, and probably more fittingly, titled The Courier, Outta Time is aimed squarely at the Hispanic rental market, and so much so that several long Spanish-language segments remained unsubtitled in the review format. Although the box art infers that the narrative is based around gangland themes, this 2001 production is really just a noir-style good versus evil pursuit vehicle that takes fine advantage of U.S./Mexico border locations. Ultimately a showcase for Latin hunk Lopez, with sexy Doritos spokesmodel Landry on hand for opposite-sex appeal, Outta Time is better looking, better acted and a bit smarter than the average genre offering, despite a few low-budget moments and the requisite handful of clunky misfires. The interesting cast includes B-movie stalwarts Saxon and Richard Lynch, and a turn by Access Hollywood host O'Dell as, of all things, a villainous M.D. The attractive leads and a determined marketing campaign might help this not-so-bad darkhorse rise above its peers. --C.S. O'Brien