Red Sparrow (2018)

Director: Francis Lawrence

Writers: Justin Haythe, Jason Matthews

Composer: James Newton Howard

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Charlotte Rampling, Mary-Louise Parker, Ciaran Hinds, Joely Richardson, Bill Camp, Jeremy Irons, Thekla Reuten, Douglas Hodge

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Seductive. Deceptive. Deadly.

Plot: Dominika Egorova, a famous Russian prima ballerina for the renowned Bolshoi Ballet, sees her brilliant career end abruptly--and as a result--she is faced with a difficult decision when her shady uncle, Vanya Egorov, sends her to serve the State. Now, as a secret agent or, a Sparrow, Dominika after intensive training to learn how to use her body as a weapon to sexually manipulate prestigious targets, is recruited to make contact with CIA Agent, Nate Nash, to reveal the identity of his unknown Russian informant.

My rating: 8/10

Will I watch it again?  Yes.

I saw the trailer only once and I couldn't help but think this is the Marvel Black Widow origin story.  But then I saw it and that notion fell fast.  This movie is fantastic.  I loved it.  It is a well made picture in every department.  Lawrence's performance is quiet and reserved and that serves her character's deception well.  I didn't know where her loyalties lay until shortly before the end credits rolled.  The story is intriguing without being overly complicated but it's strength is playing to the danger and deceit.  I can see how people might be turned off to the length and deliberately slow pacing but I found it necessary to tell the story properly.  Every scene has a purpose and the character moments and actions serve the story.  Yeah, it's two hours and twenty minutes but every minute adds to the characters, their motivations and to the picture as a whole.  I wouldn't change any of it.  At first I was struck by how much time was spent with Dominika and her build up to becoming a Sparrow but as I got more into the picture I realized that there wasn't a wasted moment.  It's not an action filled spy thriller but there are moments when it's necessary like the knife fight in the final act.  It's brutal and everyone is getting cut.  I cringed a lot.  It's a beautifully shot film and it needs to be seen on the big screen.  It's only been out two weeks but with the speed at how fast movies leave these days unless it's making seriously large dollars, it's not likely to be around much longer.   I'm looking forward to spending more time with this one and I hope the Blu-ray is loaded with extras and a commentary.  I saw that the novel this is based on has two sequels.  I sincerely hope this picture does well enough that those that matter film them but I suspect, without having read them, that they might be more traditional spy thrillers than this one.