Francis Lawrence

This was better than I had expected from reading critics' reviews – but that doesn't mean that it's a very good film. In many ways it's a routine spy tale of who is double crossing whom, with views of a few European cities thrown in. The back story of the lead character's career as a ballerina cut short, and her ill mother, is really just padding and not interesting except insofar as the family background motivates her later actions in a particular way. The audience is also misled about her throughout the film. Various big name actors eg Jeremy Irons, do what are essentially cameos with accents. The grizzled American CIA man is a rather feeble character, making only a rudimentary show of suspicion before falling for his beautiful counterpart. Jennifer Lawrence naturally looks good at all times even after being savagely beaten etc etc, but physically is an unlikely ballerina. She certainly looks Slavic, and has the required hauteur for the role.… (meer)