Día de la Madre

The big difference between the two is that this one wasn't a big Hollywood production with 3 well known prolific writers, yet this film was still more enjoyable. Sure it had some plot and technical issues, but considering it's a low budget international B film with fairly new filmmakers and an unknown cast, this one shined compared to The Mother. It had a Pulp Fiction theme, feel and overboard colorful characters, and although the lead actress Agnieszka Grochowska as Nina didn't really fit her character, this Polish actress still managed to pull it off and be more convincing than J-Lo in the action scenes. And I will also say, the action scenes were pretty impressive and well-styled and choreographed for a non-Hollywood production. Had some of the nonsense that attempted to be funny (that wasn't, more like cringe) been omitted, and the colorful overboard characters toned down a bit, I would've easily given this an extra star. Nevertheless as an international B action thriller, flaws and all, it was still more fun and entertaining than the J-Lo version. So it's a decent one-time watch, and a good way to redeem your entertainment experience after being disappointed as much as I was after watching The Mother. This mom film was awesome in comparison.

This is a solid action flick that offers an unbeatable woman who takes on a battalion of bad guys to rescue her teenage son, who has lived with his step-parents all his life. Our superhero is Nina Nowak, a former special ops agent played by Agnieszka Grochowska, who gave up her son to protect him from her inherently dangerous lifestyle. Despite her sacrifice, her son Max (played by Adrian Delikta) is kidnapped by the bad guys and used as bait to lure Nina out in the open. Their maneuver works, much to their regret.

The confrontations are swift and violent and Nina's fighting skills are top notch, but she doesn't win every battle...but we know she's going to win the war. I like that Nina actually suffers a variety of bloody injuries during her conflicts, which aren't always realistically portrayed but at least the film gives a nod to combat consequences.

Inevitably and forevermore, "Mother's Day" will be compared to "The Mother," a film starring Jennifer Lopez that was released just months earlier and has a very similar plot. "The Mother" is weak sauce compared to this Polish production and Lopez (who I actually like) doesn't hold a candle to Grochowska when it comes to gritty action heroes. Lopez always looks like a runway model -- an aging one, but still in bloom -- even when she's in the midst of a brawl. Grochowska sustains all the aches and agonies you'd expect from so many battles and skirmishes.

I gave "The Mother" a 4-star review but "Mother's Day," skillfully written and directed by Mateusz Rakowicz, is worthy of its 7 stars. It's one of those movies where you need to completely suspend your disbelief to enjoy, but if you relax and don't pick too many nits, you're bound to have a good time.

The usual "Hero saves/protects the innocent." which is typical of the genre and that's ok. What I didn't like are the unrealistic fighting scenes, hero and foes and the excess of unneeded special effects.

The heroin is allegedly a retired special forces operator who doesn't know how to handle firearms, has no situational awareness and loves to pick the most complicated and dangerous way to neutralize the enemy while displaying superpowers like ubiquity, super-strenght, an anti-pain/shock absorbing body. Her foes? Same thing just more stupid and without superpowers.

Could have been a great move.

No pun intended - and yes she is more likely to kick you instead of shooting you (that other movie/title I stole the pun for). Which also makes it quite ... well she should not be able to kick so many people no matter her training and her abilities ... but if you buy that Steven Seagal or anyone else for that matter can do it .. why not her? Exactly - just suspend your disbelief and go with the flow.

After J-Lo earlier this year, we get another mother who people should not have messed with ... well of course it is imperative that they do ... so we get a movie of course. That all being said, the fight choreography is quite well done. There is not much of a story, but you are not here for that ... hopefully. You are here to watch the mayhem ensue ... and that it does ... with blood and violence and all what is needed to make this ... well the movie it wants to be when it grows up ...

Nina Nowak is a former special operations agent who has crossed the wrong people. They can't get to her directly so they kidnap her son. He was adopted and has no idea that she is his mother but that won't stop her doing whatever it takes to get him back. This includes taking on assorted gangsters, agents of a corrupt foreign power and some people she thought she could trust.

This may not be a great film; the plot is hardly original and the action isn't exactly realistic but if you can put your brain in neutral for ninety minutes it is quite fun. There aren't too many let ups in the action and the fights and shoot outs do have a sense of danger. Unlike many action films our lead won't survive each encounter without getting hurt. The action is exciting and fairly bone-crunching even if there is an excess of slow-motion at times. The bad guys are all suitably unpleasant and equally expendable while our heroine is enjoyably tough yet vulnerable. The acting is solid enough; the villains ham it up ridiculously at times but that is part of the fun. Agnieszka Grochowska impresses as Nina. The locations used are mostly stereotypical dingy disused industrial buildings or night time in less salubrious areas of Warsaw. Overall I'd say this is hardly a must see but it is fun if you are a fan of the genre.

These comments are based on watching the film in Polish with English subtitles.