How'd a reasonably-big ($25 million) budget picture starring John Cusack and Morgan Freeman and directed by twice-Oscar-nominated Bruce Beresford go absolutely nowhere? I'd never even heard of The Contract until the DVD showed up at my house. I wager you're the same... and few will even see it on home video, either.

The story begins with decent promise as Freeman is revealed to be a stellar hitman, only his cover is finally blown and the many enemies he's made over the years come after him. He escapes an elaborate assassination and runs into the wilderness, only to be apprehended (because he's in handcuffs) by a camping father (John Cusack) and his son. While the trio attempts to get back to civilization to turn Freeman in, they're pursued by the bad guys and the good guys, and they still have to deal with harsh terrain surrounding them. Beresford's setup starts strong but soon peters out and gets repetitive as Cusack faces down one impossible situation after another, but never with much finesse. It's just running around on a mountain, often in the dark: The final showdown takes place completely and absurdly without lighting and pretty much seals the movie's doom.

Safe to skip. Even Cusack fans will find his charms in short supply here.