Ava

1st half builds some momentum but 2nd half doesn't live up to expectations. Acting is good and good OTT watch.

This film is centred on Ava Faulkner, an assassin with addiction problems and a desire to know why her victims are being targeted. This latter quirk bothers her employers. Duke, her direct superior and father figure wants to protect her but others, higher up, believe she is a liability. After an operation goes wrong due to faulty intelligence she suspects that her employers want her dead. Duke tries to persuade her that she is just being paranoid. If that weren't enough there are problems with her family; her ex-boyfriend Michael, who is now her sister's fiancé, has gambling problems which have led to large debts.

I thought this started well and was intrigued by Ava's life as an assassin... I assumed that the plot would eventually lead to who her employers were and what their motives were. Instead it led to the unnecessary subplot involving Michael; this felt a distraction from the main story, as if the makers thought they had an hour's worth of material and needed to pad the film out to an hour and a half. It is a pity they didn't pad it with a bit more action connected to the main plot as what we got there was exciting and well-choreographed; the fights had an impressively physical feel to them. There are of course plenty of clichés but that goes with the genre. Jessica Chastain gives an impressive performance as Ava and John Malkovich and Colin Farrell are solid as Duke and antagonist Simon respectively. Geena Davis is fun as Ava's mother, although her presence made me think of her lead in 'The Long Kiss Goodnight'; a superior female lead action film. Overall it passes the time well enough if you are a fan of the genre but is hardly a must see.

Seem to have seen many almost the same films over the past few years. Assassin with military background falling foul of her employers who turn on her. The only difference with this one was there is almost no story, why are people being killed, why turn on such a good operative. I would have walked out but it was raining

This movie follows an assassin (Chastain) with a morality complex, alcohol and family problems, and questioning her own purpose. She is faced with her employers decision that she is now a liability and needs to be "closed".

Really the story isn't bad, but there is a looming overall question of how we got to this point that is only vaguely mentioned. The story moves along quick only giving the viewer enough plot not to question it. Not bad action. Chastain holds her own. Worth a go.

Ava is one of those films that is enjoyable, but will quickly be forgotten. It doesn't have any major or glaring flaws, but equally it doesn't have anything extra special that makes it stand out.

I absolutely love Jessica Chastain as an actress, and so she was the highlight for me. I thought she brought a good performance to a character who, despite not being too developed, had enough to maintain my interest.

The story felt very familiar. If you're into the action genre, you won't find anything ground breaking here. That's not to say it wasn't enjoyable. It was fun to watch, it just hasn't left a lasting impression on me.

In terms of the action, once again it was exciting, but it wasn't anything new. There were some pretty decent set pieces and some good fight choreography, and the action was well paced throughout.

Ultimately I'm happy I watched Ava. It kept me entertained for an hour and a half, and at the end of the day isn't that why we watch films?