I was a bit interested in this movie to see how Jennifer Lawrence can fit in this spy genre and if the story will be interesting. We had a recent spy thriller with a female lead, Atomic Blonde, with Charlize Theron. I thought she and the action were great but I did not find the story all that convincing and it was rather more convoluted that it should have been. Here, we get another movie that feels like there is something at stake with the female character. But, right after the set-up, we understand why she has to do this but the emotional depth of almost all of the characters goes out the window and the rest of the movie becomes dull and a bit empty.
After breaking her leg during a performance in the Russian ballet, Dominika (Jennifer Lawrence) cannot provide more medical support for her ailing mother, Nina (Joely Richardson) since the Bolshoi, the ballet company, will no longer pay her medical bills. Dominika's uncle, Ivan (Matthias Schoenærts), suggests that she works for him to target someone. However, when she is a witness to a murder, Dominika is placed into Sparrow school or as she puts it, "whore school", as an alternative to death. She is put through lessons and situations under the authority of the Matron (Charlotte Rampling).
Dominika is removed earlier than expected to undertake a mission assigned by her uncle and General Vladimir Korchnoi (Jeremy Irons). Her target is CIA operative, Nate Nash (Joel Edgerton) as she is to find out the name of his Russian contact. However, Nate has convinced her to work to be a double agent and work for the CIA. However, things get complicated as information is leaked and people are killed as both Dominika and Nash are investigating who the mole is.
It starts out interesting as there is a bit of family drama and conflict because the emotional depth of the character, Dominika, gets you curious. But, then it spirals down into a gratuitous act of unnecessary choices as we see Dominika going into this school by using her body to seduce targets to get information for the agency. I was surprised by how graphic and tough its sexual content that both Jennifer Lawrence and director Francis Lawrence, who collaborated on the last three Hunger Games movies, pushed the envelope on a movie produced by a big studio. However, the problem is that it spends a good and unnecessary amount of time on the school but a huge amount of time on its spy craft that it becomes a slog and there's not much interest in its mission.
Jennifer Lawrence's character is very good, however, her solid performance is interfered with a distracting, muddled Russian accent that comes and goes with her American accent. There is not much action surrounding her character as she is trained to defend herself and kill but most of the movie, she is threatened, raped or attempted to be raped. There is no chemistry between Lawrence and Joel Edgerton, which the latter is miscast. Charlotte Rampling seems to ham it up with her performance as the Matron. Jeremy Irons, Mary Louise-Parker and Matthias Schoenærts perform their best to save this movie.
I am very disappointed by this latest collaboration between Francis Lawrence and his star, Jennifer, because the whole movie felt like it was creating atmosphere with its style and tone that it becomes nearly lifeless and does not spark much energy in its material, plot or characters. There is just some energy in its supporting characters and a bit of the action. The problem is because the story and the mission is dull, I was at a point of not caring about the characters. Plus, I did see the twist coming because I paid attention who was cast as what character. However, it is redeem a little bit by a good ending. But, the beginning and a bit of the end does not redeem a huge whole, overlong chunk of the movie that made me dissatisfied about a character trying to center herself as a person of female empowerment. I'd rather watch Atomic Blonde again (again, a movie I did not like) for its action and Charlize Theron's character. Her performances are consistently fine, but Lawrence is still in a slump of choosing projects. I will definitely give her credit for her ambitious performance from last year's mother!
*1/2
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