American Ultra is yet another summer action film that follows certain movie cliches you’ve seen before, but, coupled with some good performances from unexpected actors, work well as a whole.

Mike Howell (Jesse Eisenberg) is a stoner who works at a convenience store. He has panic attacks whenever he tries to leave the area. The film starts with him and his girlfriend Phoebe (Kristen Stewart) trying to leave for a trip to Hawaii, where he intends to propose. However, he camps out in the bathroom, and they have to cancel the trip. On the way home, they’re pulled over, where the officer reminds them of the many times he’s been brought in for this petty crime or another. At home, Phoebe is irritated, but forgives him, while he debates his next attempt to propose. He decides to use fireworks, so he seeks out his friend Rose (John Leguizamo), a sordid guy who is his good friend.

Meanwhile, back at the CIA, Victoria (Connie Britton!), receives an anonymous phone call, saying that her Ultra project has been terminated, and the project will be deleted. She rushes to confront her former cow-orker, now boss, Adrian (Topher Grace), who says his Tough Guy project was superior and she should just accept it. She doesn’t, so she goes to warn Mike at the convenience store. Victoria finds Mike, says the trigger phrase, but he fails to recognize it, so she leaves, frustrated.

Adrian’s Tough Guy agents arrive, and Mike notices them vandalizing his car. He asks them to stop, but they attack, and that triggers the sleeper agent in him. He dispatches them quickly and abruptly. He freaks out, calls Phoebe and neither can understand what happened. By then, the police appear and arrest them for murder. Adrian is tracking Mike, and the agency concocts a bogus virus outbreak to lock down the town and finish the job. Of course, it’s never that simple…

There are some nice touches in the movie. Mike is a comic artist in his spare time. Some of the banter works really well, and I suspect there was a lot more of a story with Rose and his guys than made it to the screen. More than a few of the characters are pretty much one-notes, but, to me, it was a good mix. The action was a bit frantic, but fortunately it didn’t warrant Shaky Cam behavior (it was easier to follow). Some of the stunts weren’t entirely plausible when taken as a whole, but individually, they were visually impressive. The fights are a bit graphic, so be forewarned. There’s a bit of cringeworthy violence, but nothing too gory. Some of the plot points were a little questionable, but not completely implausible.

There is a decent coda to the story that brings it all together. There’s also an animated story around the credits that’s entertaining, and makes sense, in retrospect. When it comes to cable, I will probably watch it again to see how it ties to an earlier part of the story. There is no post-credits scene.

Recommended.