MOVIE REVIEW: THE PROTEGE

 

Rescued as a child by the legendary assassin Moody, Anna is the world's most skilled contract killer. However, when Moody is brutally killed, she vows revenge for the man who taught her everything she knows. As Anna becomes entangled with an enigmatic killer, their confrontation turns deadly, and the loose ends of a life spent killing weave themselves ever tighter.

Director: Martin Campbell

Cast: Maggie Q, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Malahide, David Rintoul, Ori Pfeffer, Ray Fearon, Caroline Loncq, Robert Patrick

Rated R for strong and bloody violence, language, some sexual references and brief nudity

Release Date: August 20, 2021

Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller

Runtime: 1h 49min

Review:

The Protégé plays like a hybrid between Mr. & Mrs. Smith and La Femme Nikita.  The latter fits perfectly for the film's star, Maggie Q, who led the underseen and underappreciated  2010 series Nikita.  Needless to say, she's perfectly in her comfort zone here.  Martin Campbell brings his directorial clout having helmed two well regarded Bond films.  Together they should make for a match in heaven but a hackneyed muddled script hampers what should have been a slam dunk.  Thankfully the action sequences well staged and engaging with Q doing the majority of her own stunts.  In addition to being incredibly adept at the physicality needed for the role but she's equally capable as an actress.  She has the ability to go from stone cold stoic to vulnerable with an impressive subtly.  Samuel L. Jackson, who plays her adoptive father, is more subdued than his recent turn in The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard instead he seems to be channeling Jules from Pulp Fiction which is a nice change of pace.  Michael Keaton makes the biggest impression in a supporting roles as he works the sort of wry world weary charm and intensity that worked so well for him in Burton's Batman.  Keaton and Q make for a strange May December pairing since they don't share any tangible romantic chemistry.  Even though their relationship isn't believable both performers are able to make each of their interactions the high points of the film.  So why doesn't the whole thing work better as a cohesive whole?  The script doesn't do any favors for the cast and director as they try their hardest to overcome the inherent limitations in terms of story and dialogue.  Thankfully, The Protégé is able to overcome this and still deliver a fun spy thriller even if its not as good as it could have been.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: PRIEST

ON VIDEO

PRIEST



In a world ravaged by wars between humans and vampires, a renegade priest fights to rescue his niece from the legions of bloodsuckers who seek to transform the young girl into one of them. A battle-weary veteran of the last vampire war, warrior Priest (Paul Bettany) now resides in a heavily fortified city where the ruling Church is a greater menace than any creature of the night. When a pack of vampires abduct Priest's niece (Lily Collins), the vengeful holy man breaks his vows and promises to save the young innocent from a fate worse than death. He can't do it alone, but with a powerful warrior Priestess (Maggie Q) and his niece's boyfriend, a sharp-shooting sheriff (Cam Gigandet), on his side, Priest may have a fighting chance. Stephen Moyer, Karl Urban, and Brad Dourif co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Scott Charles Stewart

Cast: Paul Bettany, Karl Urban, Cam Gigandet, Maggie Q, Lily Collins, Stephen Moyer,
Christopher Plummer, Brad Dourif

Release Date: May 13, 2011

Rated PG-13 Intense sequences of violence and action, disturbing images and brief
strong language

Runtime: 1 hr. 27 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure

Review:

Priest is kind of like a dollar store Frankenstein monster of a film. It’s made up of so many sources that it’s hard to keep track of them. Occasionally, director Scott Charles Stewart hits the sweet spot with a few cool visuals or ideas that look like they could spring into something but just never do. Instead, you are left to trudge through a Blade Runner-esque world before heading into a Western-esque post apocalyptic world mixed with as many clichés as you can think of, throw it in a blender and call it a day. Paul Bettany string of truly questionable role selections, he’s really a fine actor, continues here as he looks like a holy roman Jedi while carrying the same demeanor he had in the woeful Legion, also directed by Stewart. Bettany looks like he came straight from that set and just had a quick wardrobe change and went right to work. Not that there’s much he can do given the script but he tries, in fact he’s so serious throughout that he could be passing a diamond as the movie progresses. Cam Gigandet is tasked with being his partner in their heroes quest and he distractingly bad in a bad film. Gigandet reads lines like a first year acting student, leaving you wondering if that was really the best take they could possibly get from him or if everybody was just in a rush to go home. The lovely Maggie Q looks lovely and cool in limited screen time. Karl Urban is mostly wasted as the villain here, in the sparse amount of time he’s given he looks like he’s begging to do some actual work but just isn’t ever asked. Christopher Plummer and Brad Dourif pass through on their way to other films. The strange thing and probably biggest sin Priest commits is that’s its actually fairly watch able, helped by it’s scant run time and brisk pacing, if it actually had any sort of worthwhile script it might have made for a solid B movie.

C-