Red Sparrow (2018)
C – 140m
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 – Widescreen
Based On The Novel: Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews
Screenplay By: Justin Haythe
Dir.: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Charlotte Rampling, Mary–Louise Parker, Joely Richardson, Bill Camp, Jeremy Irons, Thekla Reuten, Douglas Hodge, Sakina Jaffrey and David Z. Miller.
Ballerina Dominika Egorova, is recruited to “Sparrow School,” a Russian intelligence service where she is forced to use her body as a weapon. Her first mission, targeting a C.I.A. agent, threatens to unravel he security of both nations. Solid adaption of the best selling first book in the Sparrow trilogy offers a rather graphic approach to the material. The story is brutal and unrelenting but is masterfully told. The casting from A–Z is perfect, particularly Lawrence and Irons. The tension remains from the first jump at the beginning of the film until the last credit has rolled at the end of the film, which is quite a feat. For those who don’t like graphic anything (sex, language, violence, etc.) this film is not for you. For book purists, this film omits a few parts – particularly the Vladimir Putin character and storyline. The spy world hasn’t looked this good since: The Good Shepherd (2006)! As this was an adaption of the first book of a trilogy, as previously stated, the question is inescapable: Will the sequels be made into films? Here’s hoping, from this reviewer, that they are! Don’t miss this one!
Trivia: The novel this was based on was by retired C.I.A. agent Jason Matthews and is the first book of a trilogy. The other two books in the trilogy were: Palace Of Treason and The Kremlin’s Candidate. The film rights to Red Sparrow were sold for a seven–figure sum before the novel was even completed. To prep for the role Jennifer Lawrence practiced ballet with instructor Kurt Froman for three hours a day for four months. She also practiced her Russian accent for the four–month duration. American ballet dancer Isabella Boylston was Jennifer Laurence’s dance double in the movie. In 2013, the same year the novel was published, Darren Aronofsky was in talks to direct it. He left the project when David Fincher was in talks to direct it with Rooney Mara starring in 2014. By September 2015 Francis Lawrence was set to direct with Jennifer Lawrence set to star.
This is Francis Lawrence’s fourth teaming with Jennifer Lawrence. The others being: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014) and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015). The plot and some scenes of Red Sparrow (2018) are similar to the made for Television film Secret Weapons (1985) which starred Linda Hamilton in the Dominika Egorova role and Sally Kellerman as the Matron character. And finally for film nudity buffs (forgive the redundancy): This film contains Jennifer Lawrence’s first fully nude scene.
Rated: [R] – Strong Violence, Torture, Sexual Content, Language & Some Graphic Nudity
Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy