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Haywire

Kicking of another year of film, Haywire throws in a mixed up adrenaline rush of bizarre action. Thrown into the lot midway, Mallory awaits her contact in a lonesome diner in upstate New York yet when Aaron (her contact) finally turns up and a difference of opinion kicks off, namely Mallory's freedom she's forced to lash out and the battle it out to the shock of the fellow diners. Shots are fired, chaos ensues and Mallory escapes with the aid of a panicked diner named Scott, who she proceeds to explain her position and how she ended up in her current predicament through an extended flashback into past events of betrayal, violence and corruption.

Gina Carano cements herself as an up and coming female action star with her physical ability and with her portrayal of the military background/black ops heroine Mallory yet she is the stand out point of an otherwise fairly bland film. Ewan McGregor seems fairly off form while magically younger than other past performances, though even amazing new youth can't make McGregor shine as a villain, even as a portraying a side villain the role of Kenneth, Mallory's implied lover and betraying boss wasn't a brilliant role for him and a strange casting. Channing Tatum playing Aaron, Mallory's last partner who's caught up in the events around him while not a stand out performance he is a decent  and thought out character who's role is to show how the events are entangled yet against the narrative he like most other characters fade to black behind Carano. Michael Fassbender as with his other roles ones again stands tall and gives an interesting character in the form of British Agent Paul who would add more to the film if he hadn't been cut short like most characters in the film, development is sidelined for the favored scenes of random action. In the same vain while given even less screen time then anyone and maybe for the plots sake and the idea of them both working behind the scenes is Antonio Banderas as Rodrigo and Michael Douglas as Colbnez both rather than appearing in the film have what appears to be Cameo roles if judged by their fleeting appearances as big named stars they're absurdly used to little effect.

The prime goal of this film which is managed to great extent is the setting up of Gina Carano as a female heavy weight action film star and the whole film is built around this crucial idea. Other than that the films plot has been seen hundreds of times before yet Steven Soderbergh tries to throw in a unique take in his use of filming, soundtrack and style. While it's clear to see the difference that Soderbergh tries to throw into the mix to make it stand out the effect feels bizarre from fight scenes which cut out the score and focuses on the fighting styles to the soundtrack which at times doesn't fit with the films style whatsoever, by trying to carve a new feel in a well settled genre Haywire feels almost out of place at times. However as an action thriller the plot is developed enough with choreographed fight scenes and while an over reliance it's star is unquestionably well placed in line of roles. Haywire is a try before you buy kind of film, while it treads old ground with a fresh new feisty actress it's a story you'll be well versed in and feels too all over the place to really find a comfortable pace which makes it feel like a letdown into the action kick starring thriller it promised.

5  /  10

FIN.

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