You ever press play on a film just because your favorite actor’s face shows up on the poster? Yup, that was me with this film. Seeing Nathalie Emmanuel had me sold before I even knew the plot and for that alone, I wanted to love this film. But somewhere between the gunfire, the emotional tension and the cool Parisian streets, it lost me a little.
Emmanuel plays Zee. She’s a calculated and composed assassin whose world unravels after she refuses to carry out a hit on a singer named Jenn(played by Diana Silvers) whom she made go blind during one of her hits. Her single act of mercy turns her into a target, forcing her to fight both her enemies and her conscience. The setup of the film actually promises a sharp, layered story of betrayal, survival and maybe even redemption but it doesn’t quite land the emotional punch it aims for.
Now, let’s talk about what actually worked.
Number one is the visuals. It’s gorgeous. The Paris setting is sleek, moody and quite cinematic. It is the kind of backdrop that makes shadows look like a secret or threat. Emmanuel herself? An absolute powerhouse. She glides through fight scenes with precision and nails the quiet moments too. You can tell she’s giving it her all, even when the story gives her little to work with.
Second is the soundtrack which also helps as it pulses with just enough energy to keep you hooked when the plot starts to wobble.
The problem lies in the writing. It’s as if the movie wants to be deep but doesn’t want to take its time getting there. I didn’t feel enough emotional pull to fully invest in Zee’s choices. The action scenes, although very decent, lack that adrenaline spike you expect from a film with this kind of premise. Everything looks good, but it feels a bit empty. I also didn’t fancy the over use of slo-mo. Almost made it feel like those exaggerated Bollywood action films. By the halfway point, I realized I was more invested in Emmanuel’s performance than the movie itself.
By the time this film ended, I was left thinking that it could have been something great. The potential was there especially with such great cast, setting and concept but it just didn’t quite hit home. Still, I’ll give Emmanuel her flowers. She carried this film with grace and grit.
Rating: 6.5/10
That said, if you’re a fan of sleek, stylish thrillers who enjoy seeing strong female leads take center stage and for anyone else who just wants to see Nathalie Emmanuel prove (again) that she deserves way more lead roles then I do recommend.
Posted Using INLEO
Movies often die before they even begin, but apparently this one, although not what you expected, has commendable elements that stand up for it.
Oh it sure does have those commendable elements. I wish they worked with it. This movie would rate higher than it already does. Pardon my late reply. I missed this comment by mistake.
Thanks for stopping by. Do have a great day:)