Movie Breakdown: Kate

Pre-Screening Stance:

Cedric Nicolas-Troyan has only directed one other film – a poorly received effort from 2016, The Huntsman: Winter’s War – and I didn’t see it. I have seen a lot of Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s movies though, and I’m always down to check out more. Here’s hoping the fun-looking Kate impresses.

Post-Screening Ramble:

Kate is a fairly forgettable ride. It follows an assassin named … Kate (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as she rampages across Tokyo in an attempt to eliminate those responsible for fatally poisoning her. Considering it’s obvious that the movie is not setup for her to make it out alive (never once is she given even the slightest chance to survive), it seems as though it would make sense to pack the story with a litany of twists and turns or at least some measure of intensity to really drive things, but those items aren’t really anywhere to be found. So, what’s here is an action movie with no sense of thrill or danger, just mindless action. And is the action good enough to be worth your time? Well, it’s directed with the mostly-able hand of Cedric Nicolas-Troyan and Winstead turns in a nice physical performance, but there’s nothing groundbreaking or jaw-dropping on display. This movie needed a big-time story and – again – there just isn’t one.

If you want a fun movie about assassins and such, you’d be better off jumping on Gunpowder Milkshake, another Netflix release from earlier this year. The not-so-great Kate is out on the steaming service this Friday, September 10.

One Last Thought:

Why is it that assassin-centric movies largely feature the same plot? The lead character is the best of the best, but they’re burned out and only want to do one more job. Then, of course, the final hit goes horribly wrong and they end up on the run. Someone needs to mix it up.