Review of Colombiana (2011) by Walter M — 24 Apr 2013

In "Colombiana," 10-year old Cataleya(Amandla Stenberg) witnesses her parents killed before her eyes by men belonging to Don Luis(Beto Benites) in Bogota. When Marco(Jordi Molla) asks about any evidence, she unceremoniously stabs him in the hand before escaping to the American embassy to whom she gives the evidence her father(Jesse Borrego) had given her for said purpose. She then gives the authorities the slip in Miami before showing up again in Chicago on her uncle Emilio's(Cliff Curtis) doorstep, seeking immediate vengeance. He tells her that if she wants to be a killer, she has to go to school. It looks like that advice might have been for naught when Cataleya(Zoe Saldana) is arrested on a DUI in Los Angeles fifteen years later.

On one level, "Colombiana" is a cool, stylish thriller that also tries to add an level of soulful depth to the proceedings. At the same time, this is also something of a cop out, ignoring the repercussions and ramifications of violence, especially during a real life drug war. So, yes one should not should not go into a Luc Besson production expecting social realism, but there are still certain realities it should still observe like how incredible it is that Cataleya was not severely traumatized as a child, while the movie gets a kick out of her many escape attempts.(It is a possibility some of the ambiguity here might involve Zoe Saldana's limitations as an actor.) And yes, her body count worthy of making Joe Carroll salivate is brought up but more or less along the lines of keeping a low profile from the authorities. But then all this proves is that one person's serial killer could be considered another's ninja.