Anna

Fun fight scenes, excellent cinematography, and a few twists make for an enjoyable movie, but I couldn't get over the out-of-time technology: pagers, mobile phones, laptops, and internet - years before they existed.

Like any story, sit back and let it take you for a ride. Too many focus on how the carpet is flying instead of just fly along and it ruins their ride.

Story took several smart twists and turns I didn't expect and it kept me focused intently. Helen did a great job as usual and the lead was captivating and quietly realistic. Luc did a good job on the story directing and casting. Far better and more sophisticated than Salt and others, I was pleasantly surprised, thanks for the enjoyable ride.

Knowing that the director of Anna was Luc Besson, I decided to watch the film despite my wariness of the action genre, which in recent years has dramatically increased the volume of bloodshed in direct proportion to a diminution of ideas. The film is obviously a riff on NIKITA, so lots of suspense and thrilling and chilling action scenes.

Anna is new in that it offers a feel-good CIA/KGB slant and a big shout out for girl power. So if you have a hankering for a feel-good CIA/KGB Girl Power Action flick bursting with homicides, Anna will fill the bill!

Helen Mirren was excellent, as always, and despite the various implausibilities throughout, the film came through with a surprise ending, which I'll not spoil here!

Because it's the same kind of thing... no plausibility, no human interest, plenty of nasty violence, 1 antihero wins all fights against impossible odds. Violence is what people see these for, right? I think Wick movies are vastly overrated, and this wasn't bad. It's nowhere as good as something like Leon The Professional, because that movie had heart, not just violence. Here, just violence (and some sex), some plot twists, who double-crosses who. But the action is well made, and bodycount is high.

Not as well written as his Nikita, but Besson keeps the body count flowing in Anna with far greater numbers. Much of the film keeps you guessing and then answers with several flashback scenes.

Some of the wild action is on the outrageous level of a Bruce Willis Die Hard film. but just as enjoyable. The lead Sasha Luss does a decent job as Anna the assassin.