If you're aware of the team working behind Colombiana and you've seen it's advertising campaign, you might be fooled into thinking it's a modern re-imagining of La Femme Nikita. A beautiful, fragile looking Colombian woman turned assassin seeking revenge for the murder of her loved ones? It's a story that's been told before. And it's a story that, told in the right way, could be stunning. Unfortunately, Colombiana misses that mark in several ways.
The story kicks off in Bogota, where a young Cataleya (played by a wonderful Amandla Stenberg) witnesses her parents brutally shot to death by her father's former business partner and his henchmen. She escapes and makes it to Chicago where she meets her uncle Emilio (Cliff Curtis) who enrolls her in school, promising her that when she's ready, he'll teach her how to be a killer so that she can claim revenge for her slaughtered family. Fast forward about 18 years and we find Cataleya (now Zoe Saldana) in the middle of a hit.
The story only really takes off when Saldana hits the screen and from there it tears along, scene to scene, at a furious pace. This works well, as there's enough action here to keep everyone entertained. And the quality of the action scenes is pretty damn good. Director Olivier Megaton has vastly improved as a film-maker since his previous film, Transporter 3. While he's yet to drop the shaky-cam style completely, Megaton keeps the punches rolling with just enough style and grace one would expect from a Luc Besson produced film about a female assassin.
Speaking of Besson. If Colombiana's problems can be assigned to one person, it's him. His script is the one glaring issue that stops the film from reaching it's full potential. There are lazy plot-holes, weak characterizations and one-note characters that pop in for just enough time to deliver some bland exposition. He's written some great moments in there, but as soon as you start to invest in a scene, it's often cheapened by a crude twist. The script isn't a total shambles, but coming from the writer of La Femme Nikita, The Fifth Element and Leon? He could have done a lot better.
The performances are all great. Saldana sizzles as the killer with a soft heart. Cliff Curtis gives what is probably his best performances in years (that is to say, he's actually good here, as opposed to phoning-it-in) and Lennie James is excellent as Agent Ross, the dedicated FBI operative hunting Cataleya.
Colombiana could have been a great movie. All the pieces are there, but it's Besson's tired script that holds is back from being another Leon or Nikita. As it stands, it just works as a decent Friday night at the cinema.
