RECENTLY, due to Covid-19, We've seen alot more films debuting on streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, HBO MAX, Shudder and especially Amazon Prime which has not only seen the release of the Liam Neeson Chase thriller The Ice Road but also the brilliant The Outpost, Shadow In The Clouds and the $200million Chris Pratt 90s Sci-fi throwback, The Tomorrow War.
THIS isn't such a bad thing. Jolt, isn't really the Jolt the action genre needs at the moment. In fact the action genre doesn't really need any sort of jolt or adrenaline shot at all, it's currently swimming along nicely, like it pretty much always has. With John Wick 4 going into production, The Matrix 4 set for release in November and Bond on it's way too, this year has already seen hits and some misses but the stand outs would be Nobody and Mortal Kombat (not a great film but pretty successful) and Guy Ritchie's brutal 70s throwback, The Wrath Of Man. So when the genre receives the gift of a mid budget "action" movie, it's usually a chance to see what new talent can come up with.
JOLT comes from the pen of Scott Wascha and this is his sole writing credit according to IMDB, and while the film does tread familiar ground, the dialogue, especially from Beckinsale's Lindy, it pretty damn great, utilising her posh British accent and the sarcasm us brits are well known for. I don't know if Wascha is British or American but he appears to get British humour which definitely helps the films overall tone. It also give Beckinsale the chance to not just flex her action muscles again but to also turn her hand to comedy but also manages to give a performance that gives us the image of woman who doesn't give a fuck but also someone who feels lonely, someone who needs companionship but her "condition" prevents her from that close human interaction. It's not a remarkable performance but it definitely carries the film.
LINDY suffers from a condition called IED, Intermittent Explosive Disorder, basically she gets really really fucking angry and cannot control it which leads to violent interactions. She has to wear a vest with electrodes stuck all over her body, when she gets angry, she presses a button on a small control which sends an electrical jolt through her body, essentially a body shock collar. Her doctor/psychiatrist suggests she needs to find a boyfriend, someone who can help her control the impulses so she goes on a date with Jai Courtney. The next day he ends up dead and she wants to find out why and who did the deed with two cops on her tail.
IT'S a familiar concept, especially if you've seen Jason Statham's Crank movies but it's given it's own sort of identity with Lindy, a surprisingly well written character. She's flawed but brave and while she does do things that are pretty out there she does have some sort of regret after. Jai Courtney is in the film for maybe a total of 20 minutes so I'm not going to go deep into whatever his performance was. The big bad, is played by David Bradley, the man who has given us such iconic characters like Argus Filch, Walder Frey and Basil from The Worlds End. He's barely in it to be fair and after doing some research I found out that he's Beckinsale's real life Godfather,
The rest of the cast is rounded out by Bobby Cannavale and Laverne Cox as the two cops on Lindy's trail.
The action is minimal to be honest, there's a couple of fights scenes, most of which are done by Beckinsale's stunt double which is clearly evident in the fact that you never see her face during the fight scenes, however, they are much better handled than the fight scenes in the recent Netflix movie Gunpowder Milkshake, so Jolt has that going for it.
Directed by Tanya Wexler who only has 4 features to her credit not including Jolt but handles the film well. She shot the film in New Boyona Studios in Bulgaria, using their NYC main street set which has appeared in countless films from London Has Fallen, The Expendables, The Hitman's Bodyguard and Issac Florentine's Acts Of Vengeance with Antonio Banderas and this is the first time the set seems to have been utilized correctly, it looks like an NYC street with shop fronts, graffiti and the subway all giving the impression that this could actually have been filmed in New York.
After every thing considered, JOLT isn't the Jolt it's title claims to be, it's not going to re-invent the wheel but what it does do is pass 90 minutes with a fun filled central performance, some mildly exciting action sequences and a brisk pace that doesn't outstay it welcome. If you've got Amazon Prime Video and nothing else to watch, give it a go, I was pleasantly surprised by JOLT, it was not the Turkey I was expecting, infact I went in with almost zero expectations and this allowed me to actually find some fun in the film. So give it a go. It's a three star movie from this guy...
NB: Also Kate Beckinsale is oooooooph!!!
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