Review of Haywire (2011) by Rudy M — 29 Jul 2014

Haywire is the story about a double-crossed secret agent who has to escape Dublin to save herself and keep her family safe while trying to figure out who is after her.

Wow. That even sounds like a plot. Trust me, when I was watching this movie, I didn't really grasp any details of that plot until far after the time marker where any sane person would have quit watching this movie.

The lead is played by mixed martial arts star Gina Carano, who does more than a decent job. I heard they altered her voice for this movie in post-production to make it sound lower...

You might have been enticed with well-known names in the cast. But don't be fooled! There's little under two minutes of screen time for Antonio Banderas and about double of that for Michael Douglas. It's not for nothing that stunts veteran Debby Lynn Ross (as a diner waitress) is listed above them in the cast listing.

There are some positive points to make: the movie has a consistent visual style, some great fighting scenes and also some good chasing scenes.

All in all, Mr. Soderbergh (from 'Traffic' and 'Ocean Eleven' fame) has delivered a mediocre spy tale. Some have compared it to a 'female Bourne' and whatnot, but believe me: whereas Jason Bourne's motives and situation are always clear, the producers of 'Haywire' have intentionally left out key information.

Pros: decently choreographed fighting scenes, 2nd half has better pacing.

Cons: too much information is withheld, makes for an unrelatable viewing.

Verdict: Meh!