“It’s best not to think of her as a woman. That would be a mistake.” These words are uttered by Kenneth (Ewan McGregor) to freelance operative Paul (Michael Fassbender) in a scene somewhere toward the end of Steven Soderbergh’s truly excellent but much ignored action movie Haywire. The woman they are referring to is Mallory …
“Ride or die.” Those words only appear a few times in the franchise – most famously out of Vin Diesel’s gravelly baritone in Fast & Furious 6 – but they have become the personal motto for how this franchise has continued, grown, succeeded and become greater with each film. Today, Furious 7, the latest in the …
Almost Human, Season 1, Episode 9: “Unbound” Written by Jeffrey Hunt Directed by Graham Roland Airs Mondays at 8 P.M. ET on FOX “I don’t know if you know what it’s like to be part of something that defines you forever and in a way that you do not wish to be defined.” It’s easy …
In early 2012, while most of the film world was caught up in Oscar prognostications, one film quietly came and went through theatres, earning less that $20 million domestically, and just over $30 million internationally. That film was Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire, with Gina Carano taking on the lead role of Mallory Kane, and its quiet box office reception is in no way indicative of the film’s quality. While it may appear, on the surface, to be a standard action thriller – and there’s certainly no issue with that, as the genre is littered with efforts that fail to even be competent in their execution – in true Soderbergh style, there’s a lot more going on in Haywire than it may appear at first glance.
The cars are fast, as they always are, and the people are equally furious. In fact, they’re faster and furious-er now than they were before, but then, you already knew that. Be honest: if you’re reading this review, you do not need to be convinced or cajoled to hoof it to the theater to see Fast & Furious 6. You also don’t need encouragement to feel as if you, too, are like Dominic Toretto, Brian O’Conner, or their brothers- and sisters-in-wheels on the way home, pretending your Hyundai Sonata or beat-up pickup truck is a tricked-out muscle car.
Haywire Directed by Steven Soderbergh Written by Lem Dobbs USA/Ireland, 2011 The most admirable trait that Haywire possesses is its willingness to stay true to form throughout. It’s as tight as a drum, carrying hardly any fat, with very few wasted shots. This is nothing new for Mr.Soderbergh, who is exceedingly good at balancing his filmography between mainstream successes and true art house …