Gunpowder Milkshake

 How do, readers of the rotten. After last write up with Italian Post-Apocalyptic goofiness, I thought I would see what is on Netflix. Yes, thankfully the films made with Netflix seem to survive. Can't say the same for Marvel cable series but what do I know? No I thought we'd see what bonny lass Karen Gillan (The Kevin Bishop Show, Dr. Who, The Well, Guardians of the Galaxy, Oculus, Selfie, 7 Days in Hell, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame and Jumanji: The Next Level), a young actress that has seen no less than three predominant characters (Amy Pond of Dr. Who, Ruby of Jumanji and Nebula of Guardians of the Galaxy) that are in cosplay demand, she with a substantial cast stars in an action-packed, fist fighting and gun play film. This is Gunpowder Milkshake. 

 

Hands at ten and two.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With an elite status of a professional assassin, Scarlet (Lena Headey of 300, The Red Baron, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Risen, Dredd, The Purge, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia, Game of Thrones and Masters of the Universe: Revelations) was catching all kinds of heat, had to leave her child Sam in the care of others while she went off-grid. Oh c'mon Scarlet, you managed to care for John Connor during cyborg madness.

Our movie opens credits with a near Bond orchestral soundtrack that is haunting and invigorating to the mind. I know I am in for some gratuitous ultra, ultra violence. Already this movie gives of a vibe of Alan Ladd's This Gun for Hire, or maybe I am just nostalgic for film noir. Karen is wearing a trench coat and fedora giving steely eyes, so yeah maybe that's why it is clicking.  Her hovel of an apartment is near Spartan level of clean and free of real creature comforts, so our hitwoman doesn't draw attention to herself. Hell bet the neighbors think she's either a workaholic, closet lesbian or a moody artist. Neighbors are always nosy. Like her mother, Sam is also working for the enigmatic organization, "The Firm". Not starring Tom Cruise. Hehe. 

 

BANZAIIII!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Now before we go any further, I want to talk about the whining man babies commenting all over this film. Most of them are pissed that a predominant number of women are in kick ass roles, tackling the same ridiculous odds similar to a male protagonist in a cheese-ball 80s action movie.

Their insipid point? But they can't do that. They're girls! Yeah that is the crux of their argument.

In their tiny brained mindset, women can be the mothers, the sisters, the prostitutes, final girls in slasher flicks and the femme fatales buuuuut, they cannot be cops, firefighters or a bad ass cadre of assassins. I'd flog these morons but who has the time.

A good, old-fashioned vanilla milkshake with an extra scoop is in order since Sam was a little girl waiting for Scarlet to come back from yet another job. Guess it is hard being a single mom that gacks people. A flashback interaction with mom as adult Sam relaxes after whacking that many wise guys. Nathan (Paul Giamatti of Ripper, Donnie Brasco, Private Parts, Saving Private Ryan, The Amazing Screw-On Head, Barney's Version, John Dies in the End and Rock of Ages) has been watching over Sam since she was a young girl has to be Sam's handler for contracts. With the last job looking like the final scene in Resevoir Dogs, Sam's skill set is needed. Someone stole from The Firm and the boys in charge are none too happy. But wait! It gets worse! 

 

They serve pie here at all?

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 15 or so scumbags that attempted to ventilate Sam, one of them was son to mover and shaker kingpin, Jim McAlester (Ralph Ineson of The Selfish Giant, Vera, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Ambassadors, Inspector George Gently, New Worlds, Kingsman: Secret Service, The Witch, Bluestone 42 and The Huntsman: Winter's War). Yet another mob kid trying to show Dad he can move up in the organization on his own, gets popped like a champagne cork and now Dear ole Da wants blood. Whoopsie!

Not sure about the whole trench coat look, honey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Opening an active library account with former surrogate mothers like accounts Anna May (Angela Basset of Strange Days, Vampire in Brooklyn, Contact, Supernova, The Rosa Parks Story, Alias, Nothing But the Truth, ER,This Means War, Black Panther and 9-1-1), records Florence (Michelle Yeoh of Super Cop, Super Cop 2, Yes,Ma'am, Silver Hawk, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Tomorrow Never Dies, Star Trek: Discovery and Shang Chi: Legend of the Ten Rings) head librarian and quartermaster (Carla Guinano of Watchmen, Race to Witch Mountain, Women in Trouble, The Might Macs, Elektra Luxx, Sucker Punch, Man of Steel, San Andreas, Bling and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) is a stickler for rules. Again, with that much firepower at her fingertips, DO NOT piss off the quartermaster...or be loud in the library. It's rude.

With clean weapons, Sam is back in action and makes her way to the hit. Problem is our thief boosted bearer bonds for four screw-ups in Hollywood Horror masks, the Universal monsters to be exact because they have his 8 year old daughter, Emily (Chloe Coleman of Glee, Angels and Demons, Transparent, Puppy Star Christmas, Big Little Lies, My Spy, The Resident, Kinderwood and Gunpowder Milkshake). The Firm is less than happy with Sam and are leaving her to Jim McAlester and his murderous, malefic moppets. Nathan provides Sam with a leg up and maybe she'll see another day. Emily is just going with the flow, considering she just saw three guys whacked and is on the move with Sam. It's almost like Sam knows what it is to be in Emily's shoes and now her own mother's as well.

Writer/director Navot Papushado (Rabies, Big Bad Wolves, ABCs of Death 2, and Once Upon a Time in Palestine) sets a tone about duty, obligation, family and honor in his gunsmoke fueled, dysfunctional family platform.

FYI, a minor spoiler for you all as Sam went completely Buffy on the thug in the Dracula mask; staking him with a broken mop handle through the heart. Yes I laughed profusely. Serious I do not understand the hate for this flick. We have gorgeous women whooping ass, getting into gun fights, fist fights and martial arts galore. Do I feel this is the female Expendables? Not one bit. Yes they also are hired killers but they have a near family dynamic, while The Expendables just felt like beer buddies with guns. Again nothing wrong with either film, but don't compare the two. Aside from a significant casting, they are nothing alike. The chemistry between Gillan and Headey does feel like a mother/daughter relationship...well except all the bodies they dropped. That could be a weird tradition.

Good cast, awesome effects and decent dialogue exchange. Solid story done with many a hitman that rediscovers his humanity, then fights against the very institution he swore an oath to; so why can't it be said for a woman as well? So yeah I would recommend this film.

 

She's got Karen Gillan Eyeeeessss....