An enjoyable little time at the movies, even if little more.
This film manages to be enjoyable despite its major faults due to likable characters, great performances and some good action. All three leads (Kristian Stewart, Naomi Scott, Ella Balinska) are quite good in this film bringing likability and humanity to characters that could have easily just being movie character stereotypes. The three also work together very well, which is very important because this movie focuses on the sisterhood between the three. I will admit Kristian Stewart stands out as she brings a great amount of energy to the film. Because we like these characters, the action scenes become more exciting. These actions scenes are also quite well done and never drag or feel rushed.
This is a deeply feminist movie. That is not a fault in itself of course as there are many great movies that are deeply feminist. However this movie does something that those great movies normally avoided. It pounds its message into us over and over. In the first scene where we see Jane and Sabina kicking the butts of powerful men, I got and appreciated this feminist message. Seeing them kicking butt is as clearly feminist as can be, and this is why we don't need tons of cliché dialogue, songs with on the nose lyrics on the soundtrack and a poorly done montage telling us directly and repeatedly what we have already gotten out of this film. This made me feel like I was being talked down to as if the film didn't think I was smart enough to get its obvious message.
The comedy in this film is hit and miss. While I did get some laughs, there were also scenes that I found painfully unfunny.
The story is a very by the numbers affair offering us things we have seen a million times in the same way we have seen them. To be fair the story is an enjoyable one, but still an overly familiar one.
Don't go into this movie excepting anything great. However if you are like me and sometimes want to go to a movie because you like to go to a movie, this film offers you an enjoyable enough time.
-Michael J. Ruhland
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