It’s a performance that helps the film just as Ani helps Kate. Miku Martineau as young Ani is a breath of fresh air in this otherwise stale action flick. Winstead adds the necessary coolness for this stylized assassin thriller, but the just-as-necessary warmth comes solely from Ani. That’s one way to cut out a toxic family member, amirite? He’s really just practicing self-care at this point.
We barely see the internal rift among the crime family, so the stand-off between Kijima (Jun Kunimura) and Renji (Tadanobu Asano) is almost like an unrelated interlude.Īlthough, Kijima’s swift handling of Renji’s betrayal is rather enjoyable to watch. KATE (2021) Mary Elizabeth Winstead (“Kate”), Miku Martineau (“Ani”) Photo Credit: NetflixĮven the side revenge plot leaves much to be desired. The central storyline depends on the viewer’s investment in their relationship, but we aren’t given much to go on. With Woody Harrelson in the role they’ve got a Haymitch/Katniss kind of rapport going on, but this is not The Hunger Games. The training montage does little to establish Varrick and Kate’s bond. Related What to Stream in September: Lucifer, The Morning Show, Sex Education As a result, the element of surprise and intrigue is lost each time she finds out she’s been misled or deceived. Kate is sure that she knows who ordered the hit and why, but that assurance doesn’t extend to the audience. The poisoning that sets the whole story in motion is downplayed and glossed over. None of the acts of vengeance are very satisfying, including the main plot, because we don’t know that much about these characters. The film’s biggest misstep is its lack of effort to make the audience care or get invested. Part of that is because she is literally dying, but there’s a little too much nonchalance for it to work for the character and the story. While the fight scenes are entertainingly tense, Kate’s fighting spirit often comes across as sterile. KATE (2021),Mary Elizabeth Winstead (“Kate”) Photo Credit: Netflix However, Mary Elizabeth Winstead is pretty amazing as an action star and that elevates some of the humdrum-ness of the movie. The kick-ass assassin is a woman, which is great, but she’s a white woman and an American in a foreign country. A modern day Japanese film noir version is a fresh revamping as is putting a woman in the lead role, but Kate still misses the mark. The concept comes from D.O.A., the 1949 film noir and its 1988 neo noir remake-the protagonist is fatally poisoned and has 24 hours to exact vengeance before they die. Note: This review contains spoilers for Kate.Ī recycled noir plot with an updated Tokyo Drift aesthetic ends up like a watered-down Gunpowder Milkshake in the Netflix action film, Kate.
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