It’s something of an old school action film, and quite frankly, it’s damn refreshing to see it.

The plot follows Denzel Washington’s Robert Trench and Mark Wahlberg’s Michael Stigman as two criminals and drug runners, dealing with the cartel down in Mexico. Except, it’s revealed, Denzel Washington is actually an undercover DEA Agent working to bring down Edward James Olmos’ cartel leader Papi Greco. Unbeknownst to him, Stigman is also working towards the same end, only for the Navy.

Thus we have the preposterous but enjoyable scenario of watching two undercover agents pretending to the other that they’re career criminals. When they rob what they believe to be Papi Greco’s bank with the aim of trapping him for money-laundering, they inadvertently steal from someone far more dangerous and find themselves in the firing line.

2 Guns recalls last summer’s Savages in many ways, but this is a far more enjoyable ride than Oliver Stone’s effort. It’s not overtly a comedy, but it has plenty of laughs in the way that all good buddy/action films should do. The tone that director Baltasar Kormakur conjures is sometimes reminiscent of the Oceans franchise at its finest, with the banter and swagger of the leads raising many a laugh.

However, the comedy aspect is intermittent. When it’s funny, it’s funny, but there are stretches where the film seems to forget that this should be an amusing romp, and while it’s never boring, at times the plot takes over from the sense of fun, and it does leave the film somewhat unbalanced.

The two leads are excellent throughout. Denzel Washington is a funny man, but he doesn’t often get to show it; he should do more comedy. His chemistry with Whalberg is great, and they make for a fantastic buddy-duo. Wahlberg’s Stigman is the principled one of the pair, but he’s also impulsive; Washington’s Trench is more measured, and misanthropic. True to tradition, they’re soon forced to learn to rely on each other to stay alive.

Elsewhere in the cast, Paula Patton’s love-interest adds little to proceedings, but Olmos does a good line in cartel bosses. As the film’s big-bad, Bill Paxton is a genuinely menacing villain; his tendency towards playing Russian-roulette makes for some intense sequences.

The direction from Kormakur is slick throughout, while the set-pieces are entertaining; Trench cornered by the enemy in a dark apartment, for example, while Stigman directs his escape from safe vantage point on an adjacent roof. The pair works as well together in terms of action credentials as they do verbal interplay, and their chemistry leaves you wanting more. We’d be happy for a sequel.

Ultimately, it’s nice to see a film having a bit of a fun. 2 Guns isn’t all light-hearted – the threat carried by Paxton’s character ensures that you take things seriously – but the two well-matched leads are eminently watchable. The premise and plot points may be nothing new – if you’ve seen one buddy film, you’ve seen them all – but hoariness doesn’t matter, provided things are handled with as much panache and spirit as in 2 Guns.

Released in UK cinemas on Friday 16 August 2013.