Last week we discussed “Warrior,” a film which led two actors to learn mixed martial arts. This week, we’ll discover Gina Carano, a mixed martial artist who tries her hand at acting for the first time.
In the trailer for “Haywire,” the faces of Channing Tatum, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Bill Paxton, Antonio Banderas and Michael Douglas grace the screen — a veritable circus of A-list hunks, circling just to showcase one unknown lady (Carano).
In “Haywire,” the spotlight is definitely on her as she stars as Malory Kane, a tough-as-nails black ops contractor caught up in a web of betrayal.
I. Could. Not. Wait. To see this movie and rushed out on opening night. It’s directed by Steven Soderbergh, who made “Erin Brockovich,” “Ocean’s Eleven” and “Contagion.” He has been credited with getting such a fantastic performance out of Carano.
Carano’s fight scenes are superb. There is no tricky or shaky camera work obscuring the fighters from view. There are no special effects. In fact, the soundtrack cuts out and all you hear are the hits Carano dishes out and weathers with grace.
Perhaps best of all is that Carano isn’t super-heroic. On the one hand, she has weight, presence and muscle. But on the other hand, the script allows for her to fail and even slip up.
That being said, as much as I dig Carano’s performance, I have a bone to pick with other elements.
First, Soderbergh lets long-time collaborator David Holmes tackle the soundtrack. I love his work, but the last thing you want to hear as a slick young woman stalks her enemy, is chilled jazz.
Second, WHAT. AN. AWFUL. SCRIPT. It was confusing. It was heartless. And there was no real resolution.
I’m not a fan!
I do, however, hope another filmmaker matches Carano to a proper script real soon.
I congratulate Michael Fassbender on his scenes, too. He can do no wrong. And Hollywood: Quit giving McGregor bad-guy roles. He is as believable as a kitten when it comes to villainy.