Haywire

Movie Name: Haywire

Year of Release: 2011

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Stars: Gina Carano, Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas, Michael Fassbender, Michael Angarano, Channing Tatum, Antonio Banderas, Bill Paxton, Mathieu Kassovitz, Aaron Cohen

Genre: Action, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

The prolific and talented Steven Soderbergh is back after the solid "Contagion" and "The Informant!". "Haywire" follows the story of Mallory, a woman who works for a private agency, extracting people from dangerous situations. Mallory is a former Marine and is very good at what she does - she's resourceful, athletic and violent when needed. When she is betrayed by her former employer after a mission in Barcelona, Mallory sets out on a revenge mission.
"Haywire" is a film that Steven Soderbergh built around Gina Carano, a mixed martial arts fighter. The film follows the usual procedure of a revenge film, with the difference here being the hero a female and the realism of the fight scenes, which are indeed brutal and very well choreographed. Soderbergh surrounds Gina Carano with fantastic actors, namely Ewan McGregor and Michael Douglas, who play the shady boss and government type respectively, perfectly. The film ends up being a prisoner of it's own cliches (none of the characters have much depth or exist beyond their types), but Steven Soderbergh is a talented filmmaker and creates great action set pieces that allow to maximize the athletic component of his main actor. A solid effort from a director who keeps exploring different ways to tell interesting stories.