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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Red Sparrow (2018) in Movies
Mar 3, 2018
A Sexy spy thriller that would have been better without the SEXY
The new Jennifer Lawrence spy thriller RED SPARROW is being advertised as a "sexy" thriller, and if you watch the trailers for it, you would think it was a Jason Bourne/Mission Impossible-type of action thriller - with "sexy" action - and you would be misled and disappointed.
For, RED SPARROW, is a sexy, intelligent, inner-workings, "out-smart-the-other-guy" type of spy thriller in more of the mode of a John LeCarre novel (like TINKER, TAILOR, SOLIDER, SPY). It does have some action and some GRAPHIC torture scenes, but I would not classify it as an action film, so those looking for that will be bored.
RED SPARROW follows the tale of Bolshoi Ballet Prima Ballerina, Dominika Egorova (Jennifer Lawrence) who, after an accident ends her ballet career, is drawn into the deadly world of International Intelligence by her Uncle and must her her body as well as her mind to survive.
This is billed - and shot - as a "sexy" thriller with "SEXY" being the primary driving force - and that is too bad, for I found the sex and nudity to be gratuitous and didn't really drive the narrative forward. When the film stopped focusing on this aspect and focused on the mystery - and misdirection - at hand and Dominika's ability to outsmart and outhink those around her, that the film really catches it's footing and is quite good.
Unfortunately, you have to sit through the first 1/2 of this film - the training portion - and that is filled with gratuitous sex and sexual conquest and using your sex to disarm the enemy. It's an unfortunate choice that almost took me out of the movie, so when the (really) good second half of the film came about, I was surprised by it.
But if you can get through that, you'll be rewarded by a pretty good, pretty smart, pretty INTELLIGENT thriller.
Letter Grade: B (C for the 1st half, A for the 2nd half)
7 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
For, RED SPARROW, is a sexy, intelligent, inner-workings, "out-smart-the-other-guy" type of spy thriller in more of the mode of a John LeCarre novel (like TINKER, TAILOR, SOLIDER, SPY). It does have some action and some GRAPHIC torture scenes, but I would not classify it as an action film, so those looking for that will be bored.
RED SPARROW follows the tale of Bolshoi Ballet Prima Ballerina, Dominika Egorova (Jennifer Lawrence) who, after an accident ends her ballet career, is drawn into the deadly world of International Intelligence by her Uncle and must her her body as well as her mind to survive.
This is billed - and shot - as a "sexy" thriller with "SEXY" being the primary driving force - and that is too bad, for I found the sex and nudity to be gratuitous and didn't really drive the narrative forward. When the film stopped focusing on this aspect and focused on the mystery - and misdirection - at hand and Dominika's ability to outsmart and outhink those around her, that the film really catches it's footing and is quite good.
Unfortunately, you have to sit through the first 1/2 of this film - the training portion - and that is filled with gratuitous sex and sexual conquest and using your sex to disarm the enemy. It's an unfortunate choice that almost took me out of the movie, so when the (really) good second half of the film came about, I was surprised by it.
But if you can get through that, you'll be rewarded by a pretty good, pretty smart, pretty INTELLIGENT thriller.
Letter Grade: B (C for the 1st half, A for the 2nd half)
7 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Dork_knight74 (881 KP) rated Red Sparrow (2018) in Movies
Jan 22, 2019 (Updated Jan 23, 2019)
Not usually a big Jennifer Lawrence fan but she did great in this one. This spy thriller was well done all around. Not as much action as some but it held it's own. The actors all did well and the story played out with plenty if twists and turns. Overall very entertaining and keeps the interest throughout. Worth a watch!
Dork_knight74 (881 KP) rated Atomic Blonde (2017) in Movies
Dec 21, 2018
Great!
This spy thriller turned out to be great action movie! The acting was superb (Theron was awesome). The cinematography was great and the storyline unfolded beautifully. I also really enjoyed the soundtrack (i'm an eighties guy, so...). The are some great fight scenes and some sexual scenes, as well. Overall this is a great "date night" movie. Really worth a watch!
Dean (6921 KP) rated Killing Eve in TV
Oct 31, 2018 (Updated Jun 7, 2020)
Great production (1 more)
Jodie Comer
Darkly funny thriller
A truly binge worthy show. I got through the 8 episodes in just a few sessions. A mix of cat and mouse spy thriller as a Mi6 agent tracks a female assassin. It has plenty of often dark humour to go with it. The first few episodes made me think of the Hitman 47 game as the assassin goes to great lengths to make their hit. It slows down a bit for the last couple of episodes and the storyline became a little bit odd. Overall though it's a very enjoyable, classy series.
Dean (6921 KP) rated Summer of 84 (2018) in Movies
Oct 11, 2021 (Updated Oct 11, 2021)
Decent Thriller
Definitely more thriller than a horror, Slasher film. A mix of Stranger Things crossed with Disturbia. A group of friends spy on their cop neighbour and suspect he could be a local serial killer.
A slow burner with very little horror for the most part. Features more on the friendship as they spend the summer spying on their neighbour to try and find evidence if he could be a serial killer. Their friendship is the strong part of the film. So if you like the other shows mentioned you should enjoy this.
A slow burner with very little horror for the most part. Features more on the friendship as they spend the summer spying on their neighbour to try and find evidence if he could be a serial killer. Their friendship is the strong part of the film. So if you like the other shows mentioned you should enjoy this.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
May 8, 2021
ClareR (5577 KP) rated The Moscow Whisper in Books
Jun 12, 2020
This is another non-stop action spy thriller from Michael Jenkins, and this time his hero, Sean Richardson, is on a mission to infiltrate a group of Russian mercenaries who are trying to take over a nation state in Africa.
What surprises me more than anything, is how much I enjoy these books. I don’t like spy books. I failed miserably to read and enjoy the only James Bond book I picked up. But when I saw this pop up on the options of books to read on The Pigeonhole app, I jumped at the opportunity to sign up. I’ve enjoyed all three of these books in the series. They’re really engaging, well explained for those of us who don’t understand the inner workings of British Intelligence or military, and the characters are highly likeable (or detestable, depending on who they are!).
It’s simply a great read, whether you like spy novels, or if you’ve never tried one. This whole series is so good, and I’m already looking forward to the next one!
What surprises me more than anything, is how much I enjoy these books. I don’t like spy books. I failed miserably to read and enjoy the only James Bond book I picked up. But when I saw this pop up on the options of books to read on The Pigeonhole app, I jumped at the opportunity to sign up. I’ve enjoyed all three of these books in the series. They’re really engaging, well explained for those of us who don’t understand the inner workings of British Intelligence or military, and the characters are highly likeable (or detestable, depending on who they are!).
It’s simply a great read, whether you like spy novels, or if you’ve never tried one. This whole series is so good, and I’m already looking forward to the next one!
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Killing Eve in TV
Oct 22, 2018 (Updated Oct 22, 2018)
Good script (1 more)
Great cast
A Solid Spy Thriller With Laughs
Killing Eve is a BBC series based on the novel, 'Codename: Villianelle.' It stars Sandra Oh as Eve and Jodie Comer as Villianelle. Both are brilliant in their respective roles and are the main players in driving the show forward. They are supported by a very strong supporting cast as well, with everyone selling their character convincingly.
There are a few twists and turns that keep you guessing, but there are also a lot of spy story clichés present in the series. These aren't too offensive though, as I don't think that the show's main focus is to break the mould when it comes to spy thrillers, but instead to take its audience in an exciting espionage story while giving us some laughs along the way.
Speaking of which, the humour in this show doesn't take away from the gripping narrative, but instead adds to the show's charm. I will admit that it took me a while to get fully on-board with the show's off-kilter tone and quirky humour, but thankfully more of it lands than misses.
I am not familiar with the source material, so I am not sure how accurately it has been adapted. I don't even know if the novel contains the same odd tone or humour. It has intrigued me enough to go and read the book though, which is always a good sign.
Overall, this is a fun spy thriller. It is not going to break the rules of the genre, but it will keep you engaged throughout and give you a couple of laughs for good measure.
There are a few twists and turns that keep you guessing, but there are also a lot of spy story clichés present in the series. These aren't too offensive though, as I don't think that the show's main focus is to break the mould when it comes to spy thrillers, but instead to take its audience in an exciting espionage story while giving us some laughs along the way.
Speaking of which, the humour in this show doesn't take away from the gripping narrative, but instead adds to the show's charm. I will admit that it took me a while to get fully on-board with the show's off-kilter tone and quirky humour, but thankfully more of it lands than misses.
I am not familiar with the source material, so I am not sure how accurately it has been adapted. I don't even know if the novel contains the same odd tone or humour. It has intrigued me enough to go and read the book though, which is always a good sign.
Overall, this is a fun spy thriller. It is not going to break the rules of the genre, but it will keep you engaged throughout and give you a couple of laughs for good measure.
Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated Happy Utopia Day, Joe McCarthy in Books
Jan 12, 2018
[Happy Utopia Day, Joe McCarthy] by [J.T. Lundy] was a fast paced, semi absurdist spy thriller. The very unlikely hero of Chris Thompson is seen as a typical everyman who wants excitement until he realizes what that may cost him.
The characters [Lundy] creates are entertaining as are the situations they get in. It made me laugh out loud but also think about a lot of things. A book that can be entertaining and thought provoking is truly a gem.
The characters [Lundy] creates are entertaining as are the situations they get in. It made me laugh out loud but also think about a lot of things. A book that can be entertaining and thought provoking is truly a gem.
Dean (6921 KP) rated Without Remorse (2021) in Movies
May 10, 2021 (Updated May 10, 2021)
Without ideas
So this latest Amazon original film has just been released amid quite a bit of advertising. Starring Michael B Jordan it looked like a big budget project with a mix of action and thriller. While it does have some entertaining scenes overall it feels less than the sum of its parts. Almost like ideas and plots from several different spy action films. Rather by the numbers, an ok effort but nothing original.