Universal has debuted the official trailer for Contraband, a new action-thriller starring Mark Wahlberg that yes, is actually a remake of another foreign film, from Iceland, called Reykjavik-Rotterdam. The cast includes Kate Beckinsale, Ben Foster, Giovanni Ribisi, Lukas Haas and J.K. Simmons. It’s one of those crime movies about a former criminal-turned-good who has to do one more job to save his brother, who botched up another job. Of course, everything goes wrong and it all gets crazy, but the last half of the trailer actually looks pretty cool.

In the film, Chris Farrady is a legendary smuggler who has gone legit for his wife (Kate Beckinsale) and two sons. But when his wife’s brother screws up a drug smuggle and ends up in debt to a crazy local gang leader (Giovanni Ribisi), Farrady must go to Panama for one last big score to save everything he loves. Contraband is directed by Icelandic filmmaker Baltasar Kormákur, an actor and director of films including 101 Reykjavík, The Sea, A Little Trip to Heaven, Jay City, Brúðguminn and Inhale previously. This is a remake of the 2008 film Reykjavik-Rotterdam, which Baltasar Kormákur also appeared in, featuring a new screenplay adaptation by Aaron Guzikowski (Prisoners). Working Title & Universal will release Contraband in theaters everywhere starting on January 13th, 2012.

The film also earns points for its procedural-style approach to smuggling, a less-cliched option for crime movies. While smuggling is probably much more involved than portrayed here, the screenwriters did seem to have a suspicious working knowledge of the craft, which lends an entertaining authenticity to the action. Wahlberg pulls of Farraday’s nice-tough-guy just as well as he has in countless other movies, but maybe with an extra scene or two of convincing fear and vulnerability. He is surrounded by strong performances in roles that usually get short shrift in similar action pics, including Diego Luna‘s insecure gang leader, David O’Hara as a sympathetic mob boss, and J.K. Simmons‘ blustery corrupt captain. Ribisi is maniacally wheedling and over-the-top in the kind of performance that is either loved or hated, and Ben Foster is great and understated as always.