Review: Not even Bruce Willis can make ‘Trauma Center’ more than a ‘Die Hard’ wannabe
Although Bruce Willis only appears in a few scenes in “Trauma Center,” his presence looms large over this small-scale thriller, which is essentially “Die Hard” in a hospital. Nicky Whelan gives a Willis-worthy performance as Madison, an innocent bystander who witnesses a murder committed by rogue cops and is soon being stalked around an abandoned hospital ward by men who need her eliminated.
Willis pops up periodically as a policeman trying — and mostly failing — to keep Madison safe. But he ultimately proves to be a distraction from the scenes in “Trauma Center” that work best, in which the heroine tries to make use of the scant resources of an under-stocked medical facility to beat the bad guys. There aren’t enough of these moments. The limited location here appears to have been strictly a cost-saving measure, not an opportunity to get creative.
“Trauma Center”
Rating: Rated R for violence and language
Running time: 1 hour, 26 minutes
Playing: Laemmle Glendale, Glendale; also available on VOD
More to Read
Only good movies
Get the Indie Focus newsletter, Mark Olsen's weekly guide to the world of cinema.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.