Review of Red Sparrow (2018) by Lewis C — 11 Mar 2018

Red Sparrow is one of the more intriguing and impactful spy movies in years, capturing the essence of the Cold War in modern day. The opening sequence is well shot and sets the intensity and cruelty that the rest of the film portrays.

Jennifer Lawrence is amazing as Dominika and she gets into a horrific accident, ending her career as a dancer in this opening sequence. Dominika has to take care of her sick mother, while her uncle is a powerful man in the Russian government.

He promises to take care of Dominika and her mother, as long as she is willing to do some dirty work in exchange. Dominika's first mission shocks her, but highlights the world of espionage well. From this moment on, Dominika is forced to work as a Sparrow for the Russian government.

Joel Edgerton plays the other major spy in the film, Nathaniel Nash, who is an American. Dominika is tasked with developing a relationship with him and this complication drives the plot of the film. The scenes between the two are sublime and show how difficult life as a spy can be.

The twists and story are also well written and implemented, as you never know what is going to happen next. The sexual and torture sequences are also very realistic, again highlighting the dark world of espionage.

The supporting cast also put in strong performances, especially the ones playing Russians. The cinematography and sound mixing is good too. There has been some complaints over Lawrence's accent, but for me it was fine and she tries very hard to portray herself as a Russian Sparrow, and pulls it off well.

Overall, Red Sparrow is one of the best spies movies in years, exemplified by a well written story and major twists, while Jennifer Lawrence puts in a standout performance as Dominika.