The Protégé (2021)
If you’re looking for an easy Saturday or Sunday afternoon watch, you could do worse than checking out the female led revenge thriller The Protégé.
The movie stars the magnificent Maggie Q, who gets able support from Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Keaton (who inexplicably has top billing, but nevermind)
The movie is directed by Martin Campbell, who helmed two of the best James Bond movies (Casino Royale and Goldeneye) and also the highly successful The Mask of Zorro.
The story is about Anna (Maggie Q), who was saved as a child in Vietnam by hitman Moody (Jackson) and later became his protégé, living in London and only killing evil people.
However, when the past catches up with Moody, Anna has to go back to Vietnam to find out what happened there thirty years ago and also why a fellow assassin called Rembrandt (Keaton) is following her.
Although a lot of people end up quite dead in the movie, the tone is more lighthearted than say Ava or Atomic Blonde and screenwriter Richard Wenk has not only added some romance but also a welcome sense of humor to the proceedings.
Maggie Q not only kicks righteous ass, she also works well with both her Co-stars and the dialogue at times has a real sparkle to it. Minor roles from the likes of Robert Patrick and Patrick Malahide only add to the fun.
The Protégé looks as polished as you might expect from a director as experienced as Martin Campbell, who also makes good use of all the locations the movie has to offer.
There’s some good twists spread throughout the movie, although thematically te story never really goes beyond its basic ‘revenge and paying for one’s sins’ theme, and that is why, in the end, this is no more than a solid three star movie.
The Protégé nevertheless works as a clever and charming addition to the female assassin genre.