--DeMarco, Elektra
Elektra is neither a cinematic atrocity nor a masterpiece. Surpassing films like Ghost Rider [1] and Venom [2] that reside outside of the MCU, it does not bombard viewers with gratuitous comedy (of the intentional or unintentional kind), but it still fails to offer a a story with weight or depth. The movie does work as an action film with a passable script. The titular protagonist gets to wield her sais enough for there to be a few decent action sequences, though there is very little to carry the plot in between these scenes. At least it's not the worst movie in its genre!
Jennifer Garner's presence is by far the best aspect of Elektra. However, the script holds her back just as it holds back the other actors and actresses. Even an incredible actress (or actor) can be restrained by a simplistic, shallow script. Some of the acting on the part of the supporting cast is effective, but some of it simply never amounts to anything more than mediocrity. A great example of this is Terrence Stamp, who plays the blind martial artist Stick: he does not offer a bad performance, just a bland one. It is no surprise that Kirigi, the villain of the film, is himself bland, leaving the story with a generic antagonist.
When it comes to the visuals, Elektra suffers in a few particular areas. The effects for the green combustion that consumes the bodies of defeated ninjas are easily inferior to some effects from movies released years before 2005. The dream/flashback sequences have a look that seems incongruous with the normal style of the film. Furthermore, some of the edits in the fight between Elektra and Kirigi are far too rapid to accomplish much more than the concealment of the fact that the fight itself is not spectacular. These visual flaws, combined with the mediocre script, help cement Elektra in a class of superhero films that is above that of an offering like Venom but far below the quality of many recent superhero movies.
Story
Spoilers!
The Hand, the contemporary manifestation of an ancient and malevolent organization, seeks to find something termed the Treasure. Working as an assassin after her resurrection, Elektra kills a target named DeMarco before expressing interest in a respite from her job. However, she accepts a particularly profitable assignment. She finds herself tasked with killing a man and his daughter who are living in a home next to the building she is renting during her break.
Elektra refuses to kill them and instead protects them from ninjas dispatched by the Hand. Abby is the Treasure they seek, a child prodigy who is skilled in martial arts. Elektra attempts to protect Abby and her father, defeating several key opponents before killing Kirigi, the son of the Hand's leader.
Intellectual Content
There are no significant themes in Elektra. The dialogue is notably lacking in thematic, intellectual, and emotional substance.
Conclusion
Elektra is the product of superhero filmmaking from a time before superhero films had the financial security and public support that they now (generally) enjoy. It is far from the best example of a comic book movie, but it is also far from the worst example. Perhaps the best crowd that one could recommend it to is the one that wants to see the predecessors of modern superhero films in order to trace the evolution of the genre--the ideal crowd for this movie is certainly not the one that wants extensive worldbuilding, deep characterization, intellectual stimulation, and complex special effects. Not every superhero movie is as masterful as Logan, The Winter Soldier, or The Dark Knight, but, then again, not every superhero/supervillain movie is as much of a wasted opportunity as Venom.
Content:
1. Violence: Elektra bloodlessly fights and kills multiple opponents throughout the film. In one scene, a man is decapitated onscreen.
2. Profanity: Characters use variations of "damn" and "shit."
[1]. https://thechristianrationalist.blogspot.com/2018/09/movie-review-ghost-rider-extended-cut.html
[2]. https://thechristianrationalist.blogspot.com/2018/10/movie-review-venom.html
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