Elektra
By: Patrick Vu | Category: DVD Archive | 04/10/05 | 09:10 PM
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Grade: D | Genre: Action
Summary: Not even the very likable Jennifer Garner could save Elektra. The special effects were the real story, where Elektra was a mere sub plot. |
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 Starring: Jennifer Garner, Goran Visnjic, Kirsten Prout, Will Yun Lee, and Terence Stamp
Director: Rob Bowman
As I prepared to kick back to the Elektra DVD, I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt by not letting the horrid reviews it received affect my judgment. After about 15 minutes or so, I began wondering whether or not it was a good idea for 20th Century Fox to resurrect Elektra and put her in a movie of her own. In Daredevil, Jennifer Garner's star shined brightly as she made the film better than Affleck could have ever imagined even though her character was killed. Unfortunately, as her Elektra came back to life, she forgot to resurrect the charm that died in Daredevil.
Elektra, now working as a hired assassin with OCD (did she have OCD in Daredevil?), lives a lonely existence going from one job to the next. She spends her free time obsessively cleaning her home and when asked why, she responds, "So that I don't leave behind any DNA." OK, but why not break out the 409 at the crime scene as well? Wouldn't investigators poke around more there than your home?
Anyway, she has just received her latest job with instructions to go to a residential island where her next kill is to take place. She arrives early, and while she awaits further instructions, she is befriended by 13 year old, Abby (Prout), and her father, Mark Miller (Visnjic), for whom she begins to build feelings. Much to her surprise, but not at all to ours, her job will be to assassinate the pair. Of course, her feelings, which by the way are not at all developed enough in the film, keep her from performing her job and now her personal mission is to save Mark and Abby. Watching Elektra, you don't feel any emotional attachment for this family and wonder why she doesn't just do her job and call it a day. What really doesn't make sense is the love story, if you could call it a love story, that Elektra and Mark try to convince us actually exists.
Now, with the job incomplete, villains, from what seem like rejects from Mortal Kombat, appear to finish the job. The most creative being "Tattoo" who's body art of serpents, wolves, and hawks are able to jump from the skin and attack on command.
Spoiler Alert
You almost want to excuse Elektra's limitations for Garner's sake, but can't forgive the story line that reveals Abby as a "mini-me" Elektra in training. Since she was five, she was considered to be a phenom and is referred to as the "Treasure" which the villains are after for themselves.
Not even the very likable Jennifer Garner could save Elektra. The special effects were the real story, where Elektra is a mere sub plot. It was a bad attempt to capitalize on the moderate success of Daredevil, which (and I can't believe I'm even saying this) might have a been a better movie. I would also conspire to say that the "injuries" that Jennifer Garner suffered during Elektra's publicity tour were just an excuse to not promote a film that she knew was doomed all along. Sorry Jen, we'll still love you as Sidney Bristow.
Don't waist your time with this one. Frank Miller's Elektra it definitely is not, so just stick to your Alias DVD's.
Disclaimer: I guess it must be said that my judgement and tolerance levels may have been impaired a bit thanks to the current allergy season and the plethora of prescribed medication I am taking. Maybe it was the fact that I kept spelling Elektra with a "c" that really irritated me. So, as my writing partner pointed out, if you are 9 years old and coming home from swim practice or soccer practice or whatever, you'd likely play this DVD every day.
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