HAYWIRE
US, 2011, 94 minutes, Colour.
Gina Carano, Michael Angarano, Channing Tatum, Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Ewan Mc Gregor, Michael Fassbender, Mathieu Kassovitz, Bill Paxton.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh.
Steven Sodebergh is a director who has been able, for over twenty years, to move easily from arthouse films to popular films. After all, it was he who directed the three Oceans movies. He has also tried out a number of genres. Prior to Haywire, he made the medical and world epidemic drama, Contagion.
He must have been impressed by multi-martial arts champion, Gina Carino. Here she has the opportunity to show her considerable skills in doing her own stuntwork. She plays an employee of a company which carries out covert operations which governments are unwilling to admit to or express any knowledge of. When one of these operations is undermined and the person to be rescued is assassinated, she goes out on her own enquiry. It is complicated because she has several possible bosses who commissioned these covert tasks. They include Ewan Mc Gregor (with an odd haircut!), Michael Douglas and Antonio Banderas. Besides these three, the Channing Tatum as a co-worker and Michael Angarano as a young man whose car she takes, abducting him and telling her story so that he can report her version when questioned.
Actually, the director and cast are much better than the film itself, which is complicated, of course, requires audience attention – but does not stay in the memory.
1. Covert operations thriller, action, conspiracy theories? The work of Steven Soderbergh – the variety of his interests?
2. The various locations, international, New York upstate, for the story and the pursuit, the case in Barcelona, the case in Dublin? The sequences in New Mexico?
3. Gina Carano and her career, multi-martial arts? Using these skills in the action sequences? Her stunt work?
4. The opening, Mallory and the diner, Aaron and his arrival, the confrontation, her job, his attack, losing? Her escape, taking Scott and his car?
5. The explanation to Scott, the flashbacks, the action sequences, telling the story for him to report to the authorities?
6. Barcelona, the auction amongst the business heads? Coblenz, Kenneth, Rodrigo? The secret operations, the role of the government? Eliminations? Money bids, agents, plans, the rescue of the whistleblower?
7. Seeing the case in action, the various agents, the villain coming out of the house, Mallory and her pursuit? The abduction of the whistleblower? His being shot? The mystery?
8. Mallory transferred to Dublin, Paul and the posing of husband and wife, going out to restaurants? Mallory and her sense of betrayal? The fight with Paul, killing him? The phone call to Coblenz? Suspicious and going to the United States?
9. Kenneth and the operation, his arrival, with Mallory, their past together? His plan to eliminate her?
10. Coblenz, the meeting with Mallory, his being in charge, her suspicions? Focusing on Kenneth? Coblenz and his advice? Her going to visit her father, the bond with him, Kenneth’s arrival, his agents, their discussions with Mallory, the pursuit, his foot caught on the rock, the incoming sea, his death?
11. Mallory and her father, his book and his exploits, the contact, his bluffing for her, the confrontations, her appearance?
12. Rodrigo and his boss? Rodrigo’s lifestyle, control, the manipulation of the case, the assassination, Mallory? The deals?
13. Mallory and her final confrontation of Rodrigo – and his shock?
14. The original title, Knockout? The meaning of haywire? A popular entertainment? An exercise in film-making for Soderbergh? His skills, the very strong cast?
