After the job is done they return to London where Anna runs a posh exclusive rare bookstore and Moody “chills” at his country estate while nursing a truly nasty cough (which could do him in, before his rivals get the chance). They’re mercenaries for hire, but they only take out the “bad ones”. Flash-forward to today, as Moody and the adult lass, now named Anna (Maggie Q) are concluding their latest mission in Bulgaria. Jackson) walks into the aftermath of a bloody shootout and tries to befriend the only survivor, a pre-teen local girl clutching a still-warm pistol. Her story begins with a flashback thirty years ago to the bloody backstreets of Vietnam, as an American “free agent” named Moody (Samuel L. So, in the meantime, how about a “Joan Wick”, a ruthless female super-assassin? Well, this weekend the bullets will be flying, courtesy of the lady known as THE PROTEGE. We haven’t had a visit from that efficient Mr. Sure, we’ve had several action flicks in F9, JUNGLE CRUISE, and BLACK WIDOW, but nothing that’s gotten really, well, messy and R-rated since THE HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD a couple of months ago, which followed NOBODY. So the studios want Summer to go out with a bang, actually several “bangs” with the release of this weekend’s high body count thriller. Not only is it a time for heading back to school and cooler temps, but at the multiplex, it ushers in more serious somber fare. Aside from a small selection of exciting set pieces and charismatic performances from its lead stars, audiences will be hard-pressed to find a reason to justify watching this one when there are so many better films out there that have the same basic premise.So just over the horizon, after clearing a couple of weeks, Labor Day looms over the cinematic landscape. While by no means one of the worst action movies ever made, The Protégé is the most familiar. In a world where John Wick and Nobody exist, genre films need to commit to being distinctive, and this film doesn’t do enough to achieve that. It’s disappointing, then, that many of the set pieces ultimately devolve into mindless shoot-‘em-ups that lack both polish and imagination. These scenes are a testament to Q as an action star. Likewise, there are a handful of action sequences that are slick and satisfyingly punchy in their execution.
Both actors bring plenty of suave charisma to their roles, which makes their quick-witted and flirtatious interactions the most engaging parts of this feature.
There’s a lot to be desired when it comes to the sluggish script, but Q and Keaton’s performances are the saving grace of this film. It simply goes along with the familiar plot beats that viewers will expect, with very few thrills or surprises thrown in along the way. It’s something that has been done to death, and The Protégé is unable to bring anything new to the table to help it stand out. The premise of a killer out for revenge is the bread and butter of the action genre. She suspects his murder is connected to a target he was investigating before his death, with her own investigation putting her in the path of Rembrandt (Michael Keaton), a dashing hitman working for the person Anna is after. Starring Maggie Q as a highly-skilled contract killer named Anna, the plot sees the assassin set out on a personal quest for revenge against those responsible for killing her friend and mentor (who’s played by Samuel L Jackson). What it ends up being, however, is a bland and forgettable affair.
Helmed by seasoned action director Michael Campbell of Casino Royale and GoldenEye fame, with a script penned by The Equalizer and The Mechanic screenwriter Richard Wenk, The Protégé had the pedigree to become an engrossing modern action outing.
0 kommentar(er)
