Director: Steven Soderbergh
As written this film is basically your average Euro spy thriller. A clandestine spy does jobs in major European cities, one of them goes wrong and there's a bit of mystery as to her employers intention and eventually some revenge comes into play. It's all pretty generic stuff. But in comes Steven Soderbergh, whose filmmaking expertise can do wonders with any story. This film basically is a how-to guide when it comes to shooting action movies. His directing stands out in every scene. The action scenes are filmed with authenticity and are not afraid to show off the stunningly choreographed action set pieces. He does not create the fight scenes in the editing bay like so many other Hollywood action movies do nowadays, he utilizes the set and uses wide shots to make sure every blow feels real.
A big reason as to why the fight scenes feel real and authentic is due to Soderbergh's casting of former MMA fighter Gina Carano as the lead character. She knows how to fight, and Soderbergh lets her strut her skills on camera with no manipulation. On top of her great fight choreography, she serves her character well with her quiet and mysterious performance. While the film is filled with great visuals and refreshing fight scenes, and the film is unabashedly more style than substance, the lack of substance is still what keeps the movie from being a truly great film. It's a masterclass on creating a good genre picture but that means it's still a genre picture with not a whole lot of lasting significance. But at the same time Soderbergh did not try to create a masterpiece. Soderbergh's great blocking, cinematography, editing, pacing, music, and sound once again shows that he is a master of filmmaking craft.
Grade: B
