Mixed review here. I'm a fan of Charlize Theron, and I liked the pulpy gritty way they're setting her up here. That said, I was not knocked out by her performance, though if I was a male stunt actor in this film – I certainly would have been. She plays the character almost emotionless, certainly charmless, and with limited dialogue – I guess the hope is that she'll be stunning visually enough to compensate. I wouldn't say "stunning," but interesting – and I greatly appreciated the gritty unglamor she endures and displays.

The plot is a bit confusing, but doesn't feel worth trying to figure out anyway. It's just some twisty turny vehicle upon which to hang what the film does best – fight scenes and stylish cinematography. In fact, there's a 10-15 minute chase/fight sequence nearer to the end that is fantastic. It kept my eyes wide open, my jaw down, and my breath a bit taken. Within that sequence is a fight scene on a stairway that awed me. The camera swims in and out of the skirmish narrowly dodging falling bodies. How did they do that?! I want to know!

Berlin 1989 is the backdrop (the year the wall came down), with a 80's soundtrack that rocks. Btw, I was in Berlin in 1989 – happily, my visit, while fascinating, was far tamer than this film.

-- Click here to see Books by Ross Anthony, Author --