Review of Elektra Luxx (2011) by Alex S — 13 Mar 2011

When last we left our intrepid heroine...

Famed porn star Elektra Luxx(Carla Gugino) was pregnant and retiring from the adult film industry. This leaves her biggest fan and vlogger, Bert Rodriguez(Joseph Gordon-Levitt), distraught while his sister Olive(Amy Rosoff) tries to drive up the traffic on his web site which might also scar him for life. While Holly(Adrianne Palicki) is going to Mexico with her best friend Bambi(Emmanuelle Chriqui), Elektra is teaching classes at the local community center where Cora(Marley Shelton) finds her. To those who might have forgotten, Cora was with Elektra's baby daddy when he died and feels responsible. To atone, she gives Elektra a list of songs he wrote in her honor. In return, Cora would like a favor...

Compared to its predecessor "Women in Trouble," "Elektra Luxx" at least has fewer plot tangents and is less of a mess in general. That's not to say this is not a deeply flawed movie with little momentum with scenes that go on way too long. It would have been better if it had stuck with the missing songs subplot and ran with that. On the other hand, it is more subdued and reflective in its keeping with a transitional tone as Elektra considers what do next while learning more about her. At the same time, the world needs to reconcile who she is privately and publicly in a business that is all fantasy, and little else.(Of some relevance, is how a lot of the subplots involve infidelity.) Plus, the cast is still very good with Timothy Olyphant being a valued addition. And an off-the-wall cameo(Yes, that is who I think it is) puts the movie into the win column.