One of the first 2012 releases, Haywire is a rockem sockem spy action thriller by Steven Soderbergh, starring Gina Carano. I was not familiar with Gina Carano, who is an accomplished star of mixed martial arts. Haywire is a vehicle seeking to launch her as an action film star. And why not, for she is attractive (with “real girl”, not Hollywood, looks), well-endowed and can kick ass? She can, after all, kick ass for real, not just pretend to in a movie.
As an actor, Carano is plenty good enough. She’s way better than Chuck Norris, Jackie Chan and the Rock, and is at least as good as Schwarzenegger. And, when she beats up a swat team, it is believable (and fun).
Soderbergh is always interesting, as he moves between high brow/arty (sex lies and videotape, The Good German) and lowbrow/popular (Ocean’s Twelve, Contagion). Here he takes an inexperienced leading woman and an unremarkable story and makes the most of it. It’s a good watch.
Soderbergh delivers fast pacing and great locations (Barcelona, Dublin, New Mexico). Soderbergh and Carano benefit from a top rate cast: Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Antonio Banderas, Michael Angarano and Bill Paxton. Overall, it’s good entertainment and, for once, I’m actually looking forward to the sequels.
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