Capsule reviews for Jan. 6

Arsenal

The bonds of brotherhood are explored with minimal conviction in this lackluster thriller about a petty criminal (Johnathon Schaech) still reeling from a childhood tragedy when he’s kidnapped for ransom by a ruthless mobster (Nicolas Cage), leaving his loyal younger brother (Adrian Grenier) to put aside their differences and rescue him. It’s completely devoid of subtlety and surprise, relying only on an abundance of bloody violence and Cage’s unhinged performance as the villain — with some awesome facial hair — to deliver anything remotely compelling amid all the formulaic trappings. John Cusack pops in for some reason, too, but the suspense dwindles as the film progresses. (Rated R, 92 minutes).

Between Us

The title characters in this low-budget romance spend so much time convincing each other of their affections, but they fail to convince the audience. It chronicles aspiring filmmaker Henry (Ben Feldman) whose marriage to Dianne (Olivia Thirlby) causes each of them to second-guess their long-term commitment, especially once he befriends a musician (Analeigh Tipton) and she meets a lonely performance artist (Adam Goldberg). The screenplay by director Rafael Palacio Illingworth features plenty of familiar bickering and millennial angst among artsy types. Yet despite a solid cast and some affecting moments, the film’s dissection of the fragility of contemporary relationships doesn’t earn our consistent emotional investment. (Not rated, 94 minutes).

Railroad Tigers

While it’s nice to see Jackie Chan return to his familiar role as the scrappy underdog hero, this incoherent action comedy doesn’t provide much else besides nostalgic appeal for his fans. Chan stars as a Chinese railroad worker during World War II who leads an effort to ambush a locomotive filled with Japanese soldiers. Although their intentions are honorable, the freedom fighters quickly realize they’re outnumbered by the enemy. Despite some elaborate and imaginatively staged action sequences aboard the train — that they consistently stretch credibility is of little importance — the story fails to capitalize on its marginally intriguing historical premise and simply turns repetitive. (Not rated, 124 minutes).