Ava

O primeiro de Hollywood depois do lockdown, com um elenco estelar, e imediatamente um filme mau exemplar, o tipo dos filmes dos quais apenas poucos chegam aos cinemas e depois são vistos como os maiores desastres para o resto do ano. Será que os atores o leram antes de terem dito que sim? Malkovich é o único que mantém a dignidade aqui, o seu carácter é o único que faz sentido. O papel do Common é uma piada de mau gosto (tendo em conta como atuou no John Wick: Chapter 2 do género relacionado). O vilão principal de Farrell — um assassino cruel com caracterização zero — também não cabe de todo, e a mãe excessivamente botoxada de Geena Davis poderia ter evocado simpatia se o argumento lho tivesse permitido. Mas toda a triste linha familiar com a filha problemática de Jessica Chastain é completamente disfuncional e apenas atrasa as lutas e os tiroteios dos agentes, que também não são satisfatórios — apenas acrescentam ação ao tema mais representado do agente possível — a eliminação dum dos assassinos do grupo. Mas o nocaute completo do filme é a própria personagem de Jessica, sem um único traço de carácter simpático ou digno de simpatia, sem quaisquer motivações significativas para as decisões do passado que ela agora lamenta e luta para encontrar o seu caminho de volta para a sua família. É como se ela fosse uma espécie de anti-heroína de cultura pop, que devemos encorajar a estragar tudo o que ela toca e tudo o que ela evita. Tudo mal-feito. (07/08/2020)

Maybe if this were a two-hour special of Days of Our Lives, Ava could be seen as a success. Unlikeable characters with illogical motivations wander through a sort of reality that is reminiscent of life and poor actors who probably only received the script at the door when they arrived for the shoot. This cold-blooded assassin constantly emotionally hounded by an old family trauma looks deep into her memories which she supposedly isn’t interested in, because she wants to steal her sister’s husband and disappear? So Common plays a complete jerk and Colin Farrell a slippery HR manager who is just solving a problem with the staff. ‘Cause business rules... The whole of the funny finale when the heroine is on the brink of suicide until a baddie who wants to kill her breaks into her apartment and so she fights for her dear life with him sounds like something from a screenwriter who didn’t read what came before so he could follow on from that. A miserable movie, with pretty good action. (25/04/2021)

Ava is a bit of a pointless film. In terms of action, it wants to be Anna and in terms of story it wants to be Red Sparrow, but in terms of quality it doesn't live up to either. Fortunately, it stars Jessica Chastain and Colin Farrell, actors who make every movie worth seeing. The action is unfortunately dull to the point of woe, but it's good enough to kill the boredom. Story**, Action***, Humor>No, Violence**, Entertainment***, Music***, Visuals***, Atmosphere***, Suspense***. 5/10. (21/08/2020)

In the scenes featuring Geena Davis, I fail to see how the “horror” genre label applies. You need a strong stomach to watch  someone who used to be a charismatic young lady and is now bloated with Botox. Hollywood actresses seem to be incapable of ageing gracefully. Nicole Kidman says hello. As for the movie as such? Jessica, following in the footsteps of Charlize Theron, has produced the umpteenth variation on the “tough girl” trope, and it doesn’t work at all. Not even as a relationship drama, because no one will be invested in Ava’s family troubles, nor as an action movie, because the action is bland and lifeless and lacks adrenalin. I really bought Charlize’s combative Amazon, but I couldn’t suspend disbelief for Jessica’s. Two stars, but only because I wasn’t offended by how stupid it was, and because of John Malkovich, who delivers a fantastic “protective grandfather” aura. The man is charisma incarnate. (29/08/2020)

Assassin Jessica Chastain returns home after years to reconcile with her sister, sort things out with her mom, confront her own past, and occasionally kill someone Colin Farrell sends at her. Ava is more of a drama that tries to avoid action, which is good because the action isn't worth much. Unfortunately, however, the drama isn't worth much either, so aside from the charismatic and punishingly underused cast, there's really nothing in this schlock worth wasting your time for. (07/08/2020)