You haven’t seen this much stylized action since the orgy scene in Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut.” But “The Way of the Gun” is a pumped-up dramatic action feature about two small-time hoods who give up sperm donation to be kidnappers. While waiting to donate, Parker (Ryan Phillippe, “Cruel Intentions”) and Longbaugh (Benecio del Toro, “The Usual Suspects”) overhear their doctor discussing the case of a surrogate mother (Juliette Lewis “Kalifornia,”) who is about to deliver for a wealthy couple. They suddenly see their big score looming right in front of them. They unceremoniously drop their cups and hatch a scheme that ends up being much more complicated than they had anticipated. We soon find out the girl is expendable and the parents-to-be are mobbed up – no one is getting the mob’s money, no matter whose baby is involved. Parker finds himself sympathizing with the young mother much to his partner’s dismay, but soon the two decided to let her go her own way. Much like the rest of their plan, things go awry. GJ: The biggest selling point of “The Way of the Gun” is the way the action is choreographed. Del Toro and Phillippe are the slickest thugs since Travolta and Jackson. There isn’t much plot here, though it felt like it because things were so confused at times, and the mind automatically assumes there is a great deal to assimilate. In restrospect, it was a fairly simple movie with a couple of twists and turns drawn out over two hours time. KM: The action isn’t quite choreographed, but it definitely seems to be the center of attention way too often. This movie was interesting in that it moved so damn slow, but still managed to keep you tuned in. The good ol’-fashioned action was pretty sweet, and you can’t beat the opening scene of Parker beating the crap out of a mouthy girl. That ended up being the funniest part of the movie, though the whole opening scene had no other connections to the movie besides showing us that these guys just don’t care. Director Christopher McQuarrie tried to do too much with not very much plot. A lot of the twists and turns revolved around the wealthy couple, but they just aren’t developed enough to have so much revolved around them. GJ: McQuarrie sure did get a lot of blood out of the stone that is this script, but many of the characters were little more than names with basic motives. Del Toro and Phillippe are like the boy-band equivalent of thugs, flipping and twisting around on screen like ‘N Sync at a cannibal’s birthday barbecue. Phillippe is a little too much on the sweet side to be a really convincing hard-ass, but Del Toro has a psychotic edginess that makes him supremely believable. KM: Del Toro was fun to watch, but his acting didn’t fit the image he was supposed to portray. A big-time hard-ass just shouldn’t be that laid-back. Phillippe has some cool qualities that help him fit this role, he did well portraying a bad-ass with feelings. There’s just something about his voice as he narrates and acts that is a bit distracting and takes away from his character. GJ: Any time Jimmy Caan shows up, he’s fun to watch. Here he plays Joe Sarno, a bagman with some strange connection to this case no one wants to explain, and never does. Sarno is called in to clean up the mess after bodyguards Jeffers (Taye Diggs, “Go”) and Obecks (Nicky Katt, “Suburbia”) let the young mother get kidnapped. Diggs and Katt just act hard-core, which doesn’t involve much besides not showing emotion, and isn’t that the opposite of acting? KM: Caan is old. Too old to be playing mobster roles. The only fun thing about watching him is looking at how wrinkled and gray he is now. The audience is supposed to believe that this guy shouldn’t be messed with because he is so tough, that’s crap. GJ: This is a guy movie with guy themes about crime and honor with lots of gratuitous violence thrown in. It’s good for a night out with the boys, but the ladies may not dig the very minor role women play here. The story is interesting, but maybe not two hours interesting. The conclusion is violent enough to wake anybody up, but the down ending may put off those looking for an ordinary thrill.