Haywire

Release Date: Jan 20, 2012 

Runtime: 1 hr. 32 min. 

Director: Steven Soderbergh 

Cast: Gina Carano, Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Channing Tatum, Michael Angarano, Bill Paxton, Antonio Banderas.

Jason Bourne gets the feminine touch in Steven Soderbergh's "Haywire." Starring Gina Carano as Mallory Kane, she plays a lethal contractor who gets duped by the very firm that hired her. Filled with a talented cast, including the newly popular Michael Fassbender, the film has all the workings of a bonafide thriller. But while the trailer over-promises action and amped-up revenge, the reality is admittedly far less exciting, and here's where the problem begins. Soderbergh obviously meant this to be a starring vehicle for Carano, whose name and looks are distinguished in the MMA world. That being said, she can dish out a punch like any pro and make it believable, unlike most actresses who have trained all of their lives. But pair that with her novice acting abilities and you get a far less convincing performance that deadens an already serpentine plot line. Her robotic voice and expression do little to justify her role as an assassin, let alone give her much personality onscreen. Likewise, the fight scenes, while substantial and realistic, seem out of place in the ghostly silence that surrounds them. Mix that with an odd "Ocean's Eleven" vibe and conventional story line, and it's not difficult to see where it all went wrong. But Soderbergh is sought after in the film industry for a reason, and he'll have plenty of opportunities at redemption. Hopefully his next project, "Magic Mike," will have more up its sleeve than just dollar bills.

Rating: 2 stars