On Screen Projection: Haywire
With this week’s release of The Rhythm Section, it is time to talk vengeance. Now I don’t know about anyone else, but you cast Blake Lively as a killer, alongside a bearded, annoyed Jude Law, and I am all in. I know it can be a mistake to get excited about a movie early in the year, but here we are. Of course, there is no shortage of betrayal at the cinema. They come in all shapes and budgets. There is a whole subgenre focused on sexual assault and revenge, but we’re definitely not going that route. Instead, let’s look at a great working director dipping back into genre.
Steven Soderbergh, who seemingly never stops directing movies, gave us a truly fantastic and brutal action movie in 2011: Haywire. When this came out, much was made of the casting of Gina Carano in the lead role of Mallory Kane. Before this, she was almost exclusively known as an MMA fighter. But I would argue that her history served her well here. A lot was also made of her wooden, stunted acting, but I personally did not have that issue. Is she phenomenal here (outside of her physicality)? Absolutely not. But when you have been raised on the action films of Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, there is not a lot of room to point fingers.
The most important thing is that she holds her own in the hand to hand action sequences, which she does and more. Some of that is due to her training, but some also has to do with choices made by Soderbergh and the fight choreography of J.J. Perry. Specifically, the opening salvo to the action involves Mallory being struck repeatedly in the face with a closed fist from a man. This sends a clear message not only about the harshness to follow in the next 90 minutes, but also that Carano is not just a cool, stylish, untouchable fighter like Black Widow. This, of course, continues to build throughout the film, culminating in a hand to hand combat scene for the ages between her and Paul (Michael Fassbender). In terms of vicious fight scenes that you can nearly feel on your couch, I would put this up against just about any other.
This may be because of Carano’s lack of experience, but if there is a weak spot, it is a lack of feeling the true betrayal, which we absolutely should. It also does not help that she is surrounded by a murderer’s row of great actors. The aforementioned Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, and Bill Paxton, just to name a few. But plot wise, the betrayal is certainly present as Kenneth (McGregor) assumes that Paul has finished the job. Although she has to keep her focus to both save her own life and her father’s, there could have been some room for just a tad bit more emotion at this betrayal.
In fancy psychological terminology, betrayal is when an individual believes that a partner has harmed them by knowingly violating a rule that governs their relationship. Betrayals that are severe tend to be some of the most painful experiences an individual can experience, and effects include anger, sadness, and a desire for revenge. It can also leave individuals in states of confusion and pain. Essentially, there are two responses to betrayal. An individual can either respond with retaliation or forgiveness. Additionally, there are two factors that will have an impact on that decision. First, individual characteristics play a role. These can include empathy and self-control. The other piece is the severity of the betrayal. If a person believes that the betrayal is unavoidable or accidental, forgiveness is much more likely.
But let’s be real. They don’t make action movies about the power of forgiveness. Mallory certainly does not seem to have an excess of empathy (although she does obviously care for her father), but does have a great deal of self-control. And to be fair, both are basically necessary to perform her job. More important here is the severity of the betrayal. It is done purely for Kenneth’s gain and it is not a situation where forgiveness will even help her in the long run. Again, Haywire is an action movie through and through, and her quest for physical redemption is one that is easy to root for. Although her fight with Paul is the most memorable, there is a stunning beauty and grace to Kenneth’s ocean-side end.
Does Haywire have faults? Of course. But if you are looking for a beautifully choreographed action film with hints of Soderbergh’s cool heists (minus the humor), you could certainly do a lot worse. Plus, it is refreshing to see a female action star vehicle that doesn’t pull punches. I refuse to believe that Atomic Blonde would have gone that route, or even existed without Haywire leading the way. Although I expect that Rhythm Section will also have problems, I do trust Blake Lively in the lead role to carry the emotion. Her big challenge will be the physicality. It will be interesting to see if she masters where Carano could never quite reach.
