Red Sparrow Is A Harsh Spy FIlm

I’ve seen R rated film in theater before. I've definitely seen spy and espionage films but this is no James Bond film. This is legitimately my first “adult” movie in theater. I’m used to seeing big budget comedies, action, sci fi, fantasy or adventure films in theaters. Explosions, space ships, CGI everything, hot girls, funny guys and a whole lot of a fun... not this movie... this movie is a serious spy movie. A spy movie for adults. I’ve seen films that dealt with rape and incest like Precious or some other Tyler Perry production but this film shows the rough reality of Russians.

Red Sparrow (based on the novel of the same name) is about an ex ballerina who is forced to become spy after witnessing a murder while a CIA agent tries to hide his mole in the Russian government. For a suspense thriller, it’s not as suspenseful as I thought it would be but it definitely gets rough and tough. Gritty to the bone. They force oral on someone who looks just like the kid in stranger things. They should just call this film “ how to seduce in Russian”. I thought I was coming to see Atomic blonde but I ended Up seeing Eastern promises. I thought there would be a training montage, she would learn to use guns, how to fight and kill... nope.. this is not that kind of movie. Anybody who said this was black widow movie we didn’t get.. we still don’t have it.

The amount of violent sex in this movie was too much but it’s trying to reach a point about how people can be manipulated by their desires. How seduction can be used as a weapon to get what you want. There’s no real mystery of who side she’s really on. The mole is probably the only good reveal. Not really a huge twist but def leaves an impact on you at the end. Jennifer Russian accent is alright but I wonder why didn’t hire a real Russian like Mila Kunis.

When you walk out the film, you could usually hear or feel the general response from the audience but with this film you could hear a pin drop. No one said anything as we  walked out the theater. Traitor was an awesome espionage thriller. A good Thriller is a film like Allied where you’re stuck guessing who’s side is she’s on. Besides the story, everything else was in point. Direction, the acting, the locations they chose, the wardrobe, it felt like an authentic Russian story (but I’m not Russian so I really can’t be the judge of that). I would of rather seen this film at home, definitely not something I’m used to seeing on the big screen. I love mysteries, espionage’s and thriller but I didn’t get the rush I was looking for from this film.

I think this film is supposed to be a women empowering film but... I don’t feel like they executed properly. You don’t feel like she comes out on top at the end. It just becomes about survival. I give it a 5 out of 10. Wait for it on HBO or Netflix.