crap crap crap crap crap

i'm so mad that I let a few misguided positive reviews con me into seeing this

Review: http://www.worldofkj.com/article.php?i=604

I'm assuming Fassbender's death is what earned the film its (absurd) R rating. Just too intimate and cold a murder for the MPAA, despite being bloodless.

Haywire: Eight minutes of no-frills, clear-eyed fight scenes, 82 minutes of vague nonsense edited with all the free associative coherence of a Tumblr. Soderbergh is so cool, and thinks hes so above the genre, that he can't even be bothered to pretend to tell a story or have any fun. Thank god it failed; I don't want to be present for the advent of a new genre: the hipster action film.

I wish he'd retire tomorrow. Why wait?

Soderbergh retired in 1999 - - unfortunately he keeps making movies.

This is Ocean's Eleven in the spy genre right down to the music and style. It's all cool and just fun from start to finish. But in the end, it is extremely thin. But the acting, action cinematography, and music elevate it over a generic plot. Reminds me a lot of Burn after reading.

So this film really received a D+ Cinemascore... that's ridiculous. Audiences can't handle the tiniest breach of linearity in an action movie? I guess it was a little talky and I could've used a bit more coherence to the behind the scenes deals going on, but the action was superb.

HAYWIRE

This reminded me of a female version of the Bourne Identity except without all the amnesia. I liked the beginning and the re-telling what had happened previously. I thought the lead female was good but not great acting wise. I don't think anyone really stood out. The story just isn't very memorable. The action sequences were certainly the main draw for the film and it fulfills that presentation but leaves you wanting to see more action. Also, the end was quite abrupt and that probably led to it's low cinemascores that I read about. Overall, this is strictly rental material.

Grade - B

Like The Grey, the abrupt ending works - there's no need to see Carano kicking Banderas' ass, and his last line is perfect. And the rest of the film is suitably light and jazzy - except for the intense fight scenes, which are staged perfectly. Carano ain't much of a thespian, but she doesn't need to be.

It's a trifle, but an entertaining one.

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What he said.

In anyone else's hands, Haywire would be nothing more than your average Jason Statham film. But with Soderbergh's style and Gina Carano clearly doing most (if not all) of her own stunts, Haywire is quite fun. And maybe it's because I was enchanted with Carano's beauty (she could kick my ass anytime she wants, and I would be so lucky), but I thought she was utilized perfectly. I really hope this is the beginning of her movie career. She just needs to be sure to keep working with decent to great directors.

It's good fun. Carano kicks ass, Fassbender ain't too bad and the story is intriguing enough. ***

Definitely an Ocean's Eleven-ish spy film. Love Soderbergh's style but it really needed a better, more interesting plot. But it's fun, and Carano kicks a lot of ass.

This should have easily been really fun but when it's not focusing on the action scenes it's way too talky. Definitely not a good thing when you have such a thin plot. I just wanted to see Carano kicking ass, which she does well. Hopefully she'll get more action movie roles. The fight scenes are definitely enjoyable, but everything else was oddly boring.

C+

The studio was so stupid releasing this against the last Underworld movie though. It's too bad they didn't wait until this Spring after Tatum was coming off of The Vow and then showed him more in the ads. It certainly could have opened a few million better than it did, though it still would have had bad legs due to toxic WOM.

I agree with yoshue.

The fight scenes are some of the best-choreographed in a long time, but the movie is just boring, boring, boring...

Yeah, when there's no fighting it is boring. But the fight scenes are fun.

Some of the non action parts were great. Like the scene in the car, shot from outside the window with the reflection of scenery rolling by. All with a steady camera. The whole movie was shot with a calm, unmoving camera. Witnessing the destruction but having no particular opinion about it. "Shit"

A-

I hated this movie.

Haywire

Fucking awesome. Gorgeously filmed, with a great, upbeat, and cool soundtrack that we've to expect from Soderbergh. It's a super cool, brilliantly choreographed spy film in the vein of The Bourne Identity, and it kicks ass. You can't help but fall in love with Carano as she takes charge and takes names. Michael Fassbender is a super sly British spy and he nails it. Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Ewan McGregor and Bill Paxton round out a great cast. The only weak link is, yet again, Channing Tatum, but I must say he didn't bring this lean film down at all. He wasn't as bad as he usually is, but he's especially bad in the first few lines of the movie.

Ironaically, as Carano and Douglas interview in the hanger near the end of the film, tumbleweed slowly moves across the background. Believe me, this film is anything but boring. Every scene is thoroughly engaging, and the cinematography is so delicious that you just want to eat it. Yet again Soderbergh (redeeming himself for the slight wobble of The Informant!) delivers an all-star cast in a gripping espionage thriller. I cannot wait to see Side Effects now.

A

Glad you loved it.

I enjoyed it a lot when I saw it in theatres, and it has only grown on me since. A very cool, well-shot action/suspense film.

I'm kicking myself now that I didn't get up off my lazy ass and see it in cinemas. It would have owned. Soderbergh's movies make great theatrical viewing. I remember seeing Ocean's Twelve back in 2004. Loved it.

Oh, and the last scene in Haywire is a great one. Soderbergh is a patient director. He doesn't need to have fireworks every second for a scene to be engaging. He's easily in my Top Ten directors ever now (after seeing Haywire). He was always lacking another great film besides the Ocean's trilogy and Out of Sight. Well, now he has it.

I enjoyed this one thoroughly. Slight, but very fun.

B+