Review By Kathy Kaiser
DIRECTOR: Martin Campbell
WRITER: Richard Wenk
STARRING: Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton and Maggie Q
Follow in my footsteps baby, and you can save yourself from everything the world throws at you….
As we venture into the young life of Anna (Eva Nugyen Thorsen), we find that the hand her family has been dealt, is all but ideal. Yet when contract Killer Moody (Samuel L Jackson) comes strolling into Anna’s life, all is not lost, as he takes her under his wing, and teaches her the “ways of his world” the only way that he knows how.
Fast forward to adulthood, as Anna (Maggie Q) and Moody are living high, periodically taking out a few bad guys, but as we all know when Samuel L. is involved, they most definitely had it coming…
Enter the mysterious stranger Rembrandt (Michael Keaton), who seems rather taken by the beautiful, and cunning Anna, as they both try desperately to figure out whether or not the instant attraction they feel for one another, will every truly play out.
When a job that Anna is working on, at Moody’s request, leads to the demise of many of those that she loves, it seems that she has no other choice but to make things right, as no one, and I mean no one, can touch of those around her, and think they are going to get away with it…
I give THE PROTÉGÉ a rating between MUST SEE ON THE BIG SCREEN & WAIT TO CATCH THIS ON DVD or STREAMING / 7/10!
This film is entertaining throughout, as it manages to draw you in to its storyline, and more importantly, its characters, making for an action film that tries very hard not to disappoint. I also became very intrigued by the way this film mixes a constant dose of mayhem, without managing to stall in one place, or situation for too long, which might make it seem rather astute for some, while I’m guessing others might not be so intensely engrossed, as the demise of many happens upon the screen. The casting this time around is definitely solid too, as Maggie Q totally holds her own against veteran actors Jackson and Keaton, whether it’s through the father’s love that’s coming her way from Jackson, or the crusade of passion that builds, and which is totally palatable throughout the film, between Q and Keaton, any way you slice it, no pun intended, these 3 make a point to attempt to put this latest film, on the top of the heap this weekend! But, even with all these accolades, which must be stated, it seems that by the time THE PROTÉGÉ is finished, it just doesn’t make the cut in becoming the high-action drama, I went in expecting. Like I stated, it’s entertaining for sure, but it just doesn’t manage to become the MUST SEE I was hoping it would be, even with all its intrigue, mystery, and perfectly choreographed action sequences, as Anna, aka Maggie Q, takes on her role as the biggest badass in town, thanks to her training by her pseudo-father Moody. I kept watching and hoping that Director Martin Campbell, who has made such incredible films as THE LEGEND OF ZORRO (2005) and CASINO ROYALE (2006) was going to turn it up a notch at some point along the way, making the premise of this film pick up steam as it went, but instead, it just starts to slow down, leaving for a very anticlimactic ending, that sadly just seems to fade away, kind of like one of Campbell’s mis-steps in filmmaking, 2011’s GREEN LANTERN 😦 . Suffice to say that if you love intrigue, and the beauty of Maggie Q, as she is stunning throughout, you may want to head out and catch THE PROTÉGÉ this weekend at a theater near you. But if you’re expecting a totally fabulous, action-packed thriller, filled with stars that we have come to love over the years, you might be a little disappointed when it’s all said and done…and if that ends up being the case, and you end up wishing you would have waited to catch this one in the comfort of your own home instead, don’t say I didn’t warn you…
MATINEE CHAT with Kathy Kaiser 