REVIEW: AVA

3/5

Atomic Red. 

96 Mins. Starring: Jessica Chastain, Colin Farrell, Common, Diana Silvers, Jess Weixler, Ioan Gruffudd, Joan Chen, Geena Davis & John Malkovich. Director: Tate Taylor. 

2017. Jessica Chastain could have won the Best Actress Oscar three-times over for her big-three that calendar. 'The Zookeepers Wife', 'Miss Sloane' and 'Molly's Game'. Yet one of the greatest actors of our generation didn't even get an Academy Award nomination making her the most underrated like her 'A Most Violent Year' leading man co-star Oscar Isaac. Despite her output going 'Zero Dark Thirty' (an actual nominated performance) like Laker LeBron James in the NBA Playoffs. From the 'Take Shelter' and 'The Tree Of Life' (quite possibly the most atmospheric and beautiful movie with real meaning of all-time) beginnings, to the 'Crimson Peak', 'Interstellar' and 'The Martian' breakout (Chastain chased down so much-especially in the science fiction world-she had to drop out of both Tom Cruise's 'Oblivion' and Marvel's 'Iron Man 3') and the cult 'X-Men: Dark Phoenix' and 'It Chapter 2' latest last year. This Summer we were supposed to see her play in 'The Doll's House' on London's West End like her 'The Disappearance Of Eleanor Rigby' co-star who she reunited with for 'Phoenix' James McAvoy, but then corona quarantined all that like cinemas. Still with 'Interstellar' director Christopher Nolan's 'Tenet' making a tentative return to the big screen where it belongs, the Summer blockbuster season may just be saved this September were we want to be woke up when the year ends. In 'Ava' the Gardner like actress returns to this popcorn movie game too. Despite Chastain being unfairly chastised more than when she worked on the critically and criminally underrated 'Woman Walks Ahead' (her devoted and dedicated performance-one of her most nuanced yet-is anything but white saviour). You see 'Ava's' original director Matthew Newton has been accused of assault and domestic violence and many have called out Chastain for hypocrisy (NO!) as she is a leading advocate for the 'Me Too' movement. But how dare they try to take away all she's done for another man's guilt in a toxic age of Twitter trolls taking making people guilty by association? Besides the fact that Newton was replaced says more. As Chastain reunites with Tate Taylor, as the director of 'The Help' (the other movie she was Oscar nominated for, for her support) steps in to lend a hand to this clocked and reloaded combat.

Red soaked revenge like a Lawrence 'Sparrow' with her eye in the scope is sweet for the 'Lawless' actress as she goes all 'Atomic Blonde' in the first scene with 'Old Guard' Charlize Theron short hair in disguise. Mere moments after declaring "no masks" in this of all years, albeit figuratively speaking not in the literal way. As she lift whistelblows and shows 'Hornblower' himself Ioan Gruffudd that he's no Mr. Fantastic (oh hi John Krasinski) in the actors best cameo since he told those 'Horrible Bosses' that he specialises in "wet work". All before red revealing who she really is between 'Molly' dresses and Boston shoot-outs like Ben Affleck's 'Town' of mad men with the blunderbuss. Taking off the wig and pulling up a crimson hood to hide the blood coloured the same, as she chases down her targets with sniper precision on foot. Following Blake Lively's postcard perfect assassin creed in the pre-lockdown 'Rhythm Section', Chastain continues this note showing she's at home with the action. Hand to hand with 'John Wick' chapters of parabellum...and she doesn't need no pencil to make sure those writing her off better find an eraser like Schwarzenegger. If that wasn't enough Chastain brings her compelling acting to the action too, offering a deeper humanity to her blood and alcohol soaked character. Punch drunk from all the love and lives lost. One moment by the foot of a hotel bed, just inches away from an itching mini-bar is truly moving. Especially in a movie whose director change and plot problems sometimes leads to some dull edges to this knife and gun metal drama. Jessica is so good-forget a John and Blonde crossover-we want to see a team-up movie with Theron, Lively and even Jodie Foster's 'Brave One', Zoe Saldana's 'Colombiana' and a South Korean 'Villainess' (someone get Kim on-Vik on Zoom) for this lady vengeance kill bill. Just like the oceans crossing spy thriller '355' in the next 365 that promises one Cannes like espionage ensemble Jessica has coming with Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Lupita Nyong'o and Fan Bingbing. Let's make it all happen.

All stars are no stranger to 'Ava' however like Chicago this February for the James Brown biopic 'Get On Up' (starring the late, great, we still can't believe he's gone, Black Panther, black biopic and black icon, Chadwick Boseman) Tate's taylor made direction. Ava's mentor in the line of fire is none other than 'Red' star John Malkovich, kicking ass and taking names for his best role in years, during all his time moonlighting in Pete Berg and Mark Wahlberg movies (like the kinetic 'Mile-22') and stupidly mansplaining how to use a shotgun to Sandra Bullock for an iconic, meme worthy discharging moment for an actress who is anything but, "that lady from 'Bird Box'". There's even the 'Long Kiss Goodnight' of 'Thelma and Louise' icon Geena Davis here, passing the action torch down as a meddling mother. Whilst hot on her tail is the unrecognisable Penguin of the new Batman movie, Colin Farrell (was that him in the trailer). The Irishman who is still as beguilingly underrated as an actor (have you seen him and Yorgos Lanthimos play in 'The Lobster' and 'The Killing Of A Sacred Deer') as he is hard working returns to his 'Dead Man Down' action days here for a showstopping fight scene that joins the club of all the great protagonist vs antagonist showdowns. As the 'In Bruges' legends somehow pulls of a Hitler moustache which clearly shows he's up to no good. Still it's the eclectic circus of rapper Common (no stranger to assassin movies, from giving it to Keanu Reeves in 'John Wick: Chapter 2' to running all night with Liam Neeson like a professional courtesy) that gives this movie its humanity of not the worst love triangle in the history of Bermuda like hearts adrift ("what am I looking at right now? Wonder Woman?" he asks in one scene like he's starring at Gal Gadot). As this one gets into the teeth of 'The Big Bad Swim' star and Dakota Johnson lookalike Jess Weixler who makes her own name here as Jessica's sister. Still for all the big names here-including an absolutely iconic Joan Chen of 'Twin Peak' slaying-it's 'Booksmart' young star Diana Silvers who comes of age, swotting up on Hollywood hallmarks with her sidearm performance that looks to lead to more in the chamber if a sequel births a franchise here. And it could as so it should. Ava the character is amazing. Now give the movie more in plot development from the set up here and we may just have a hit with this woman. Ava adore. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Filming: 'Atomic Blonde', 'The Rhythm Section', 'Miss Sloane'.