The Irish Connection

I watched "The Irish Connection" (cool title) not long after watching its predecessor "Mousakka & Chips" but was similarly underwhelmed. Yet again, just about the only reason for watching it is Rosa Coduri's cool persona in the title role. Nicola Wren hamming it up as Aureille's boss and of course the woke fad of Whatever men can do, women can do it better.

The stunts are nothing special, but are counterbalanced by the humour.

I just don't think this was the best way to rip-off, sorry, take inspiration from the successful James Bond series, the over the top approach hardly helping the movie appeal. Wren gets one great accidentally prescient line "All those flash moves are better on a Chorus line" and otherwise Coduri strolls through the film in cool clothes.

At the end of the titles it states Danny & Jay will return and maybe they must and I will watch that too.

Aureille plays a recently single CIA agent, and there's lots of chases and red herrings as the bad guys played by Emmerdale farms Matt King, all try to unmask her. Aureille decides to beat them at their own game and joins forces with Danny and Jay and outspy's everyone. That's when the movie takes a left turn and clowns enter the mix! The whole thing is a real hoot, and very entertaining.

It's all a lot of harmless fun, and Malta looks amazing place to visit!

A Priest steals bearer bonds from Alice Baker and her gang and goes on run to Malta pursued by them and a cocky super-agent Aureille (a wonderful engaging Rosa Coduri) is assigned to stop them all. In the spy-saturated genres, this comedy addition to the genre would seem an unlikely stand-out, and yet it is very well made. Perhaps its cool style, tongue-in-cheek sense of intrigue, and mix of adventure and satire makes it more interesting than it has any right to. Satirizing a genre already so steeped in self-reverence, the all too familiar ending feels too obvious. Coduri is focused and wiry, but I always liked her more as a wannabe villain like in Adulthood; she's so ironed-out here of any kind of personal complication that the first few scenes give you all she's got. Dave Healy, as chief thug, has a few funny moments as a man intimidated by his pregnant wife, but otherwise a well made funny 90 minutes..

'The Irish Connection' takes you on a wild ride through the world of spies and secrets. You've got Aureille, a gutsy agent on a mission to crack a major heist. But hold on tight, because things get crazy when she's backstabbed by someone she'd never expect! Going rogue is her only play. The movie's got it all, heart-thumping action, stunning visuals, and a lead who totally nails it. What really gets you is how it mixes all that adrenaline with questions about trust and betrayal. If you're up for a rollercoaster of suspense and feelings, 'The Irish Connection' should be on your watch list, no doubt.

In 1962, Hollywood introduced British spy James Bond who made an iconic name in the action genre, and the legacy of this household action hero continues today through the longest running film franchise In the 1980s, we were introduced to Bruce Willis' John McClane, a New York cop who served justice as he took a dozen of German terrorists at the Nakatomi Plaza one by one, and his astonishing charisma has lead to a spawn of a few sequels. Rosa Coduri as Aureille Flemming (Get it) is what some describe as just a modern day Jane Bond. But with a powerful portrayal by Rosa, she feels more like an original character, a spy agent with a highly trained set of fighting skills in both gun and hand-to- hand combat. In this spy action thriller, Rosa Coduri steps into what is arguably her most charismatic role plays the title character, a secret agent.

Not very many action flicks offer a spectacular mix of tense action and fun like this. From the hyper-kinetic action sequences, to it's slick editing, to the highly compelling plot, to the overall likability of the lead character; this film stops at almost nothing to deliver the strong, visceral experience viewers come to root for. In an age where many films of the action genre struggle to find a solid balance of both action and coherent plot development, this one manages to stand out. The plot moves through the title character's search for bearer bonds (get the Die Hard reference) and the conspiracy that surrounds, and what ensues is a nice array of tension and unpredictable scenes. The fiercest moments show Aureille Flemming engaging in brutal martial arts combat against the baddies, complete with stunning choreography and camera-work that, while a bit shaky, successfully express the intensity of the scenes.

The Irish Connection like its name sake the French Connection is tense, fun and purely entertaining experience for action fans everywhere. This film is easily a household name in Rosa Coduri's career as well as the action genre of the 2000s. For all looking for a great popcorn flick, this one is worth checking out.