Elektra

Elektra (2005)

I’m an honest guy so I have to own up to something here. I’ve heard the same nightmare stories about how awful this movie was for several years now. See I’m a former comic book nerd and I still have friends that suffer form that “affliction”, so I was pretty well versed in all the reasons this movie sucked. So on their advice I pretty much avoided this movie. That is until I was offered a Blu-Ray of the director’s cut to review for the site. After taking the time to actually watch the movie and judge it for myself I really don’t get all the hate.

Lets backtrack for a second here and talk about the plot. Jennifer Garner returns to play Elektra, who was introduced in the Daredevil movie. Since that movie she has become a world-class assassin. When she becomes attached to her next set of targets (a father and his daughter) she suddenly finds herself up against the Order of the Hand. The Order is a powerful group of criminals or assassins (not sure the movie never makes it clear) that for whatever reason really want the daughter. This then pits Elektra and her skills up against the best the Order has to offer. An hour of decent martial arts action later the movie comes to a predictable and satisfying ending.

I’m not sure if there were some big expectations for this movie (did anyone watch Daredevil?) that it just didn’t live up to, but again I just don’t understand all the hate. The story is very predictable and not terribly interesting. I mean if you have ever seen an action movie where the protagonist is on the move against a superior foe then you will know exactly what is going to happen here. Seriously I was sitting on my couch saying things like, “here is where so and so will sacrifice themselves and here is the part where she will try and set things right on her own.” But like I’ve said in previous reviews not every movie has to be innovative and throw twists at the audience. Hell if you do it right a movie like this can be entertaining and sort of comforting in it’s predictability. While I think the movie is a bit slow in the middle it does start off with some decent action, introduces the characters well, and has a pretty good ending. Not saying it is the greatest movie ever, but it isn’t nearly as bad as I’ve been lead to believe.

Having been a comic book nerd, as I’ve already stated, I was familiar enough with the Elektra character to know that this wasn’t going to be a real effects heavy movie. I mean some of the villains have some cool powers, but basically the Elektra character just kicks you butt. Heck she doesn’t even have all the fancy toys like a Batman movie will boast. That said where we do get some effects shots, like the tattooed villain and Typhoid’s disease powers they look pretty good. In fact they are really kind of creepy, which I suppose is the point. The fight sequences are well choreographed, but if you are a fan of the great Asian martial arts movies, like I am, they might leave you wanting a bit more. Still it isn't bad for a comic book movie. I also think that the lighting and camerawork do a good job of setting the overall mood for what is really a darker take on the superhero genre. This looks especially nice on Blu-Ray, but I’ve not seen the DVD, so I can’t say if this is an improvement.

So now that we are here at the end of the review I have do let you guys know if you should spend your hard earned cash on the new Blu-Ray. Let me again say that I heard terrible things about Elektra, but the movie isn’t that bad at all. That said the plot and story are uninspired and there are some pacing issues that slow it down a bit. Not a fatal flaw, but I just can’t see myself watching this movie again and again. I would say that Elektra is at best a rental. Though if you haven’t seen it and like superhero movies you need to check it out at least once.

2 ½ out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer