User reviews

I have read some reviews before watching this film and it nearly put me off. I get a lot of people can't stand this kind of movie, but not every movie is meant to target the worldwide audience. Salma Hayek plays her role well and looks unbelievable. There are holes in the plot all over the place and some things just don't make sense at all. If you are after a well constructed storyline then move on and keep looking. However, if you are a red blooded male like myself and can overlook the many flaws in this movie and love action movies, then this is worth a watch. The numerous death scenes are great and Salma spends the movie showing off her fantastic body and thats a win win for all of us. So, in a nutshell, if you like looking at mamacita's like Salma and lots of blood and death then 'give it a go. I don't think this movie was made to be taken seriously.

Greetings again from the darkness. If only drive-in theaters were still the weekend hang-out of choice for teenage boys, this latest from director Joe Lynch would be the perfect second feature after some horror or slasher designed to generate oohs and ahhs through gross-outs (elevators and grenades are not a good mix).

After beginning with its most unsettling scene – gang abuse of a female (fortunately via black screen and sound effects) - the rest of the film plays just like an ultra-violent, hyper-speed video game. The two main distinctions here are that all of the action takes place inside a loft apartment, and the lead character is played by Salma Hayek. Having appeared in Desperado and From Dusk Til Dawn, Ms. Hayek is no stranger to wild action sequences, but here she carries every carnage-filled scene … all while slinking around in a silk slip or her favorite yoga pants.

Gun, knives, swords, grenades, chemicals and various other implements of destruction are brandished by Hayek, masked killers, greedy hookers, a SWAT team, and Hayek's ex-pimp/kidnapper. We even get a character called "The Sadist" (Togo Igawa) in one of the most straight-forward character names in movie history. There is even an attack dog named Bonzai that is well-trained in everything except the difference between a ball and a grenade. And therein lies the saving grace here … the movie has some absurd humor that prevents the ultimate tone of dread by such films as Saw. The humor isn't so much clever as it is outrageous … and it helps offset the gruesome and blood-filled body count (at least 20 in the first 20 minutes!).

Director Joe Lynch is more comfortable with horror films than action films, but it's clear he has a love with B-movies, and he is fortunate enough to have Salma Hayek front and center. The only way to watch this is with your brain shifted to neutral. The level of ridiculous is off the scale and includes too many "that makes no sense" moments to recap here. On top of all that, the action occurs around Christmas, and use of six traditional Christmas songs adds to the twisted humor that will probably keep you tuned in, despite your knowing better.

I'd put this movie on the same list as things like, Smoking Aces or Shoot em Up. The effects really aren't too bad, some pretty decent gore effects and more than copious amounts of blood, but all the gun play was surprisingly well done. Throw in a few unexpectedly touching moments, some rather clever lines, and you have a rather enjoyable movie. As long as you don't expect any kind of real plot at least. The most impressive thing about the movie is that 95% of it is all done in the same room, and not many movies can pull that off without having it get boring, but this one did.

As I said in the summary, it's a brainless bloodbath with a strong, sexy female lead. If you don't mind the gore and you just want something to watch, this one isn't a total waste of time.

This is extremely gory and mindless. Not nearly as glorious as Kill Bill (of which one can't help but think).

This is just an excuse for lots of blood and shooting and cuts etc.

Can't figure out why the heroin doesn't just kill them all straight out (as she seems so good at it) instead of just waiting for the next team of useless violent jerks to turn up. Scenario-wise this is really poor. Do not expect any real twist, any intelligent decision, any verisimilitude.

For those of you who like stylised violence for the sake of it, you might spend the time, others just go straight to Kill Bill and don't waste any time on this unless you are really a Salma Hayek fan of course...

This is officially the most sadistic Christmas movie I've ever seen. ...So far. I mean, I haven't seen Black Christmas yet. So maybe that'll change once I see those movies.

My dad likes to ask me sometimes regarding action movies: "Is there a purpose to all this?" There IS no purpose. The whole movie is one big, fat excuse to slam a bunch of crazy action scenes at you. As an exercise in brutal violence, it succeeds. It's got style, and it's even got some genuinely funny moments of black humour to go along with it. The movie's premise is absolutely ridiculous and stupid, and laughably insane, but it plows through it with an almost completely straight face. In that respect, the movie is a deadpan masterpiece.

Anyway. Salma Hayek's acting, along with Joe Lynch's neat direction, are both too good for this type of movie. This is a modern-day exploitation film at its most blatant. This is Die Hard with Salma Hayek and the Yakuza. It's limited to one floor of an apartment building as a setting, and it's set during Christmas, and the main character is trapped in one room. Only unlike Die Hard, this movie has some truly cruel material to make you squirm in it. I mean wow.

Despite its flaws (and it has a lot of them) it was an entertaining movie. It's shallow, it's not all too smart, and for people with weak stomachs, it's pretty much unwatchable. Its low-budgetness isn't all that obvious unless you REALLY look for it, and most of its effects are refreshingly practical. It's nice to see blood squibs in action movies this day and age, instead of the regular old CGI clouds we're stuck with eighty (or ninety?) percent of the time. Salma Hayek hasn't been this good since Desperado, and that was freaking 1995.

I recommend any action fans to seek it out--unless, of course, you like some brains to go with your bullets, and/or you're not too keen on seeing the effects of swallowing battery acid. The rest of you should have a good time. Good times all around.

Since the start of the century or so, there seemingly exists an additional new sub-genre within the world of action/thriller cinema, which is best described as "Shoot 'em Up" films. "Shoot 'em Up", starring Clive Owen, itself is obviously a good example, but there's also "Crank", "Hardcore Henry", "Free Fire", "Taken" and this "Everly". You guessed it; - these are films with very thin plots and without any proper character development, but they primarily focus on non-stop violent action, excessively over-the-top gunfire action and a practically immeasurable body count. They are entertaining if you're in a completely undemanding mood, I reckon, but they are quite unmemorable as well. Moreover, despite all the action and bloodshed, these films are actually sort of boring, because they constantly repeat the same old "bang-bang-you-are-dead" routine.

The sole difference between "Everly" and the aforementioned titles is that the indestructible killing machine here is a woman; - and one of the sexiest specimens on the planet, I may add. In fact, one might even shallowly state that any film starring Salma Hayek in a tight and bloodied tank top is worth checking out, regardless of the quality. Hayek, pushing 50 but still looking as fit as a 28-year-old, depicts the private luxury prostitute of an Asian crime lord, locked up in a fancy apartment. One day, however, Everly decides she doesn't want to be Taiko's prisoner anymore. The film opens with a heavily injured Everly and a room full of dead Asian gangsters already. I feared the script would be another structural mess with flashbacks but, to my surprise, the plot simply continues from there onwards and Everly only takes on new and other opponents. She tries to reach her mother and estranged 4-year-old daughter, and she receives help from a slowly dying but remorseful Asian she refers to as "Dead Man". Apart from a few notable highlights, including the battle of the prostitutes and the sickening games of the aptly named The Sadist, "Everly" is mundane and passable. The violence is really graphic, but never shocking or even remotely upsetting because writer/director Joe Lynch ("Wrong Turn 2") couldn't decide if he wanted a serious or a light-headed film.

I've read all the reviews and I am not surprised by all the negativity. No frontal nudity, no talent blah blah blah. I watched this film because I wanted to look at Salma Hayek for 90 minutes. I wasn't expecting anything. Yes it was poorly written and some of the acting was cringe worthy but most of that came out funny, not unentertaining. I truly laughed out loud but not in a bad way. If not for the subject matter they could've called this a comedy and I would've been satisfied. The story line was one we could all be sympathetic to. If your a person who just wants to relax and see a movie then see this. I'll continue to be a Salma Hayek fan and I look forward to the time she is offered more meaningful roles. That time will come.

"I will make sure I die tonight and I don't want to give any of them the satisfaction." After assassins are sent by her ex to kill her, Everly (Hayak) must fight them off alone. After her mother and daughter show up things start to get personal. There are many action movies that start off slow, they have almost a half hour of character development and story to get you invested in the movie, then end with the action to keep you watching. This is one that forgoes all that. It starts off in what seems like the middle of the movie and never lets up. Wall to wall action. The movie is very graphic and intense, much like the original Oldboy, the movie is hard to watch in some parts. Selma Hayak hasn't been in a movie in awhile and its strange that this is the one she came back for. When I think bad ass females she isn't the first name I think of, but she does hold her own. Overall, exciting and full of action but be prepared for what you will experience. I give this a C+.

The only reason for the 3/10 rating is for Salma Hayek's body; otherwise it would be a zero. I guess that Selma needed a quick payday and wished to visit Belgrade. Here she is Everly, evidently some mob boss's slave girlfriend. She is trapped in an opulent apartment and a series of men and women enter and attempt to kill her. Somehow even a SWAT team with laser sights are unable to do so. A Japanese man appears along the way and proceeds to torture Every just for his amusement. Her mom and little girl show up and the killings and general mayhem continue. This is bad comic book material; a sort of low grade "Kill Bill" without Tarantino's brilliant dialogue. Do not waste your time on this garbage.

Everly (Salma Hayek) is an overworked woman who has had it with her boss and her job. Unfortunately, her employer doesn't have much of a retirement plan so when he wants her terminated, he really means it. Having not seen her family in four years and wanting a better work/life balance, she takes her frustrations out on her co-workers who are also angry at not getting a Christmas bonus. Her family also gets treated poorly when they visit her at work. The special effects crew worked overtime on what starts out as an action/thriller but soon morphs into a very, very dark comedy that'll make you appreciate having the opportunity to work from home. The beautiful Hayek shows off her acting chops whether it's taking a stand against workplace sexual harassment or using a machine gun against the HR department. Die Hard and It's A Wonderful Life both take a back seat to this Christmas gem. You'll have to watch it to see if everyone lives happily ever(ly) after.

My dad likes to ask me sometimes regarding action movies: "Is there a purpose to all this?" There IS no purpose. The whole movie is one big, fat excuse to slam a bunch of crazy action scenes at you. As an exercise in brutal violence, it succeeds. It's got style, and it's even got some genuinely funny moments of black humour to go along with it. The movie's premise is absolutely ridiculous and stupid, and laughably insane, but it plows through it with an almost completely straight face. In that respect, the movie is a deadpan masterpiece.

Anyway. Salma Hayek's acting, along with Joe Lynch's neat direction, are both too good for this type of movie. This is a modern-day exploitation film at its most blatant. This is Die Hard with Salma Hayek and the Yakuza. It's limited to one floor of an apartment building as a setting, and it's set during Christmas, and the main character is trapped in one room. Only unlike Die Hard, this movie has some truly cruel material to make you squirm in it. I mean wow.

Despite its flaws (and it has a lot of them) it was an entertaining movie. It's shallow, it's not all too smart, and for people with weak stomachs, it's pretty much unwatchable. Its low- budgetness isn't all that obvious unless you REALLY look for it, and most of its effects are refreshingly practical. It's nice to see blood squibs in action movies this day and age, instead of the regular old CGI clouds we're stuck with eighty (or ninety?) percent of the time. Salma Hayek hasn't been this good since Desperado, and that was freaking 1995.

... that has confounded IMDb members since the inception of the site.

Namely, why does the IMDb permit a rating of only "1" if they don't intend anyone to ever choose it? The obvious answer is that, they do indeed intend for this rating to be used, but the challenge is to find a film that justifies it.

And with EVERLY I think we finally hit the jackpot.

Start with (what I am assuming to be a FORMERLY) A-List actress and put her in a film that looks like it was written and produced and directed by a bunch of high schoolers who combined their allowances to produce something that would get them an interview with the Admissions Officer at a third rate film school.

Not actually joking here. The bio of the director, as explained on the IMDb, tells us that he currently has more acting credits than directing credits (think about that for a moment) and that he started his career by taping two cameras together so he could make new films by editing other people's already-made films. Think about that too.

As one might expect from this kind of film, it uses every trick known to keep costs down. Like no dialog for the first 10 minutes. No obvious plot. People enter the scenes randomly and either try to kill the star or are killed themselves.

Strange lighting. Fast cuts. Lots of reaction shots (mainly Selma).

In other words, anything to "work around" the usual ingredients of a film. Like a plot, a story, continuity, and other actors with dialog.

A mainstream review I read (just to sure I was actually watching the finished film and not the dailies, or possibly a workprint) said that it is films like this that make us revere the genius of Tarantino.

I have no comment on that. The line speaks for itself.

I wish I could say the same about Everly.

Fantastically over the the top, good fun action. I don't understand why it doesn't have a higher rating. Hubby and I both thoroughly enjoyed it.

List in order of great tributes: Excellent music, some good acting. And that is it. Other than this this film is a waste of talent. A rather pointless string of kills. Style but little development or explanations.

Watched to the end to see if the boredom would cease but no, undeveloped characters just kept killing each other. If you like watching people die I suppose you might like it, otherwise you will have wasted your time as I did.

The composer has promise though, I hope he does something meaningful after this.

This movie started with me oohing and ahhhing over Salma Hayek's body change that at first, I did not concentrate on the first few scenes of the movie itself. The first minutes of the movie had some humor to it that I liked but as the movie went on, my smile diminished into a scowl. First, she took down a couple of armed guys like flash in DC Universe, then she killed a pack of raging prostitutes. I had so many questions that I felt would be answered at the end: how did she become such a skillful shooter and fighter, how did she have so much money and guns ( maybe she stole them), why didn't she TRY to help the Chinese guy on the chair even after he helped her (even if the wound was fatal, she could have tried to help just like she tried to help a bleeding Dena), why was Taiko wasting so much time talking when he could have struck her, when did her mom get the skill to shoot the sadist's guys which by the way I thought would remove their masks so that we could see the work of the sadist (I could go on and on). I'll say something though, the killings were quite cool but I wish they were a little bit realistic, many action packed and bloody movies are realistic, not in every way but in many ways.

This film really wasn't all that good. From seeing the trailer I thought it was going to be a halfway decent film especially with Selma Hayek being the main star but I was wrong. The idea of the story was simple but someone with pretty good script writing skills would have made this a good film. For example, "The Raid: Redemption" was similar to this but that was a very good film. Not saying that the writer of this film isn't talented but it could have been better. Some of the action scenes were good but it just wasn't enough to make it the kind of film I would sit down and watch again, like "The Raid: Redemption". Other than the few cool action scenes in this film everything else kind of fell flat, the acting, the plot, the actor's lines, and etc. As bad as this film is there is one good thing about it, If you're a Selma Hayek fan it's worth sitting through.

Salma Hayek made this movie... her acting skills show in every scene. I would never expect her in an action movie but she pulled it off! Not only is she one of the prettiest women in Hollywood but she's a very good actress as well. Watch till the end, you will enjoy it. Don't forget the popcorn!

Everly is a low budget Grindhouse type exploitation film with a bizarre Christmas theme and Salma Hayek that keeps it watchable despite its inherent nastiness and nonsense scenes.

Everly (Salma Hayek) is a prostitute turned mistress a brutal gangster Taiko (Hiroyuki Watanabe) who has discovered that she wants to escape and has been working with the police to bring him down.

He has sent his enforcers to gang rape her, torture and then kill her. The film opens just after these scenes as an apparent naked Hayek locks herself in a bathroom and retrieves a hidden gun and starts blasting away.

However leaving her apartment is far from easy as Taiko sends more people in and places a bounty on her. This leads to more video game type action scenes. There is some dark humour such as an attack dog who likes to play fetch even the ball turns out to be a grenade.

At one point a sadist turns up with his bottle of various chemicals to torture Everly who after the initial scenes calls over her mother and daughter to the apartment complex, the same one swarming with bad guys!

This is a sleazy film, badly written and ineptly directed. But for Salma Hayek this would be an epic turkey.

Entertaining, gritty, funny, violent action packed & gory. Really good film!

Don't take it too seriously or think too much into it. Just sit back and enjoy the ride, as it intends.