Mafia Wars Review: Tom Welling Is A Long Way From Kansas In This Tired, Lazy Action Thriller (2025)

Mafia Wars is an action thriller that loses momentum in the third act, which really drags the entire thriller aspect through the mud. Starring Tom Welling, who previously starred as Clark Kent in the popular series Smallville, Mafia Wars is a very different role. While he may add a certain level of star quality, it is not enough to redeem the rest of the movie from an underdeveloped script, poor pacing, and a supporting cast that was, by and large, mediocre.

The movie kicks off with Tom Welling's character, Terry, being bailed out of prison early after getting into a brawl to protect his cellmate. As it turns out, the benefactor who offers Terry freedom is a cop who wants to use him as an undercover agent to help bust a huge drug operation in Rome. Why? Not so clear. But at least Terry is big and intimidating. Then, the rest of the movie sees him infiltrate the mafia, while they try to weed out a whole host of other plants, as things get increasingly absurd.

Mafia Wars Stumbles To The Finish Line

The biggest problem with Mafia Wars has to be the pacing. There is almost no excuse for the movie's story to be completely underdeveloped, weak, and poorly planned. This is one of the few aspects where an indie movie could be expected to outshine the bigger releases, but it requires some love and care from the creatives involved. Instead, it feels as though Mafia Wars is action first and any thought for the plot and premise comes last.

The early sections of the movie are riddled with inconsistencies and elements that don't make sense. However, the latter half tries to amp up the tension and action, but then it makes weird cuts and jumps that completely cut the tension and slow down the pace. This wouldn't be so offensive if this wasn't actually the point in the movie where things start to get interesting. Instead, it becomes the most stiff and awkward third act as the story leaps from one moment to the next with black screen transitions.

This all adds up to a movie that kills its own momentum, is predictable, full of tired tropey dialogue, and lacks action or thrills. Welling does well with the script he's been given, but even here, his years of talent and experience see him used as little more than a burly hero whose motives to take on a dangerous job appear to have been added in as an afterthought. All that said, Mafia Wars is not completely devoid of any redeeming qualities.

Mafia Wars Does Have One Bright Spot

Of the entire cast, the most interesting and engaging actor to appear onscreen is Cam Gigandet. Gigandet has had some roles in big Hollywood productions, but playing the unpredictable villain Griff sees the actor stand out in a whole new way. The delivery of his lines, the personality of his character, and the enthusiasm he brings to the role make every moment where he's onscreen some of the best scenes in the movie.

However, despite Gigandet's standout performance, it isn't enough to save the rest of the movie. Had the script been refined and improved, the cast given more direction — specifically, Tom Welling's character having a more interesting personality — or any degree of attention paid to improving the narrative, it could have been something. Instead, the finished product is undercooked and devoid of passion. Mafia Wars is not a movie that is worth your time, and unfortunately, it lacks the substance to even be considered a so bad it's good movie.

Mafia Wars is now available on digital and on demand. The film is 90 minutes long and not rated.

3/10

Recently paroled felon Terry Jacobs is tasked with going undercover to infiltrate and bring down Griff, the leader of Italy's most notorious mob syndicate.

Pros

• Cam Gigandet delivers a stand out performance as the villain.

Cons

• The third act is so crowded and destroys the momentum.
• The script could have used at least a few more passes.
• The core premise of the movie is flawed.