The World of Myth Magazine

If you presented a film starring Lena Headey, Angela Basset, Michelle Yeoh, and Carla Gugino and all they were doing was reading the dictionary set to a soundtrack of Tiny Tim for 4 hours, I'd honestly probably eat it up. So, when I initially heard about, and ultimately saw the trailer for, Gunpowder Milkshake, I was READY. With a capital R, E, A, D, and Y. Not only was I anticipating the ensemble, based off the title alone, you could already get an idea the mood of the flick. Oh yeah, an action movie starring a group of badass women. And if there's anything that really gets me going, it's some brilliant fight choreography. I was salivating before even pressing play.

Now, there's a peculiar phenom that occurs when films focusing on women are released. It happens without fail every single time. Usually, you can get a clear concept of the dog whistles and understand you're reading the opinions of someone who's never known love in any manifestation. Terms like, "female empowerment vehicles", "progressive agenda", and my absolute favorite, "forced diversity" are used liberally. Because yes, having a movie about women doing literally anything is absolutely abhorrent to these folks; even worse, if it's women of color doing them, yeah, that review section is going to be a bad time. So, if you couldn't guess, yes, this is a film about a group of women, some of whom who aren't white, doing some bone-crushing, skull-splitting, and blood-spilling activities throughout. And they're dressed in relatively shapeless clothes and sensible shoes. So please, if those are things that upset you, maybe pass on this one. And if you're someone who just wants to enjoy a chaotic action film with an amazing ensemble, don't go to the reviews on IMdB. Just don't.

Alright, that's out of the way so I can set this bad-boy up. The film stars Karen Gillan (Doctor Who, Guardians of the Galaxy) as Samantha, or Sam, an assassin following in the footsteps of her mother who left her some fifteen years prior to the present timeline. From the get-go, we're already in the midst of the dominoes getting knocked down; when Sam is contracted for a mission put forward by a powerful group called The Firm, what was meant to be a simple task turns into a bloody massacre. Involved in that massacre happens to be the son of an important guy called McAlester. Nathan (Paul Giamatti of practically every movie in the past 30 years), ally of the Firm and Sam's caretaker since she was a kid after her mother left, lets her know that she didn't go about the job quite as well as she could have, informing her it's going to require some clean-up. It's then we learn that an accountant "from the clean side of the business" has been stealing from the Firm, so Sam is sent for her next job. Nathan implores that she gets new firepower from a trusted source before taking on the job so she can't be linked to the messy little massacre. Sam arrives at the Library and we meet the Librarians. Florence (Michelle Yeoh from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Crazy Rich Asians and so many more films because she is an icon), Anna May (Angela Basset of American Horror Story, 9-1-1, Black Panther, and of course, How Stella Got Her Groove Back), and Madeline (Carla Gugino of The Haunting of Hill House, Sucker Punch, Watchmen, and the-always-worth-mentioning-Son-in-Law) are introduced as…well, as librarians. With some code-speak, the Librarians realize Sam is the daughter of former colleague, Scarlet (Lena Headey of Game of Thrones, Fighting with my Family), who again, disappeared some 15 years ago. They're not eager to help her but aren't opposed to it either. They set her up with new gear and send Sam on her way. She finds the accountant, and soon comes to realize he's not a menace, but someone in trouble. She also kind of, sort of shoots him in the gut right before learning he's got a daughter who's being held hostage. Initially, Sam is ready to leave with the stolen money and return it to the Firm, but she decides to try to save the accountant, taking him to an underground, maybe-not-super-legal doctor (there is relevancy to these descriptors, I swear!). This is where the movie really starts to kick into gear, leading Sam to fend for herself and, ultimately, Emily (Chloe Coleman; My Spy, Big Little Lies), the accountant's little girl. Eventually, she reunites with her mother, and then the Librarians. Afterall, they have several groups of important criminal organizations out for Sam's head, including, dun-dun-dun, The Firm itself.

First and foremost, let's talk atmosphere. The film was shot in Berlin, and you can tell in all the right ways. If you've ever played TellTale's The Wolf Among Us, there's something very reminiscent of the design in the film that reminds me of that game. There's the neon-noir, the glittering streets with the underlying grittiness, and the fantastic color palettes of each scene and set. In the first major fight scene that takes place at a bowling alley, the set gives us this distant feeling of whimsy blended with intensity. It's that moment you really understand what you've gotten yourself into. And before the film really gets moving, we're treated to a landscape that meshes past decades and futuristic elements, with a touch of fantastical or sci-fi realization (just a touch, though, a whisper, really). When we get toward the end of the film and get to see the Library beyond just one or two small portions, it's impossible not to be enamored with that set alone. It feels like each set was designed to be just as much an accomplice to the choreography throughout the film as its stars. And again, the vagueness of the Berlin backdrop just adds to the luster of it all. The neon patina is fun on the eye and helps setting the tones. This is the first film of Navot Papushado, the director, I've seen, with only a small handful to his credits prior. But I think the tonal balances of the film are an absolute standout. It's what makes directors like Nicolas Winding Refn's films so immaculate to watch; the entire aesthetic dictates how you're intaking everything. It almost drives the story. And I love it and really hope to see more from Papushado in the future.

On top of the visual stunners, there's another aspect of this film I absolutely admired: the score. Which is, some would argue, more important than what we're viewing. If you were to watch this movie with no audio, you'd possibly be able to guess the score would be pretty typical. Maybe some synths with a bit of fancy orchestral for the more action-packed scenes with a few well-placed songs. And while those are all aspects of the score, what plays heavily throughout is, uniquely enough, a harpsichord. Yup, a harpsichord. From the start, you hear the notes being played against the opening credits, and it instantly lets you know you're not going to get exactly what you think you are in terms of atmosphere in this film, and that was really exciting to be a part of! I love the utilization of instruments and sounds you'd hardly expect, and this was such a unique, interesting scope of how to manipulate a very traditional instrument to be the narrator of the score. Even if you don't like the movie, you have to appreciate the music. And like I said before, there is the use of thoughtfully placed songs. In one integral fight scene, we're treated to Janis Joplin's Piece of My Heart. Its use in this scene was smart and exciting, and I always appreciate those nods.

Before we go much further, it's time to talk about the fight sequences. Now, as I said at the beginning, good fight scenes make me salivate. It doesn't matter how outrageous or campy they are, just show me some wonderfully mastered fight choreography, and I'm sold. And this is, after all, an action flick. You can expect to see plenty of gore and violence, and the fight scenes don't really shy away from any of that. And of course, with any film, you could have a standard punch-throwing fest, but what was most enjoyable about Gunpowder Milkshake's fight sequences were the absolute outlandishness of them that kept them so entertaining. The bowling alley scene we're treated to as the first major fight scene, is a doozy. We really get to see what Sam is made of as she takes on three goons armed with various weapons while she is only armed with a panda shaped suitcase and eventually, a bowling ball or two. The next major fight scene is another delight. At the doctor's office mentioned earlier, Sam's use of her arms is temporarily disabled and her opponents (the same goons from the bowling alley) are also a bit inebriated from both getting the fudge kicked out of them and some laughing gas. We really get to see just how wild we're going with these fight scenes. With a scalpel taped to one hand and her gun taped to the other, it's just a goofy, wacky fight that employs tension and also humor. The physical aspects of the fight are so much fun to watch as each character has to navigate whatever it is that's preventing them from fighting at full capacity (be it a broken leg, an arm in a sling, or, in Sam's case, her arms being numb). When mother, Scarlet and daughter, Sam team up in the Library (giving us the lovely dialogue, "I've got an army," followed by Sam yelling, "I've got my mom,") and go head-to-head with an outnumbering crime syndicate, it evolves to finally getting to see the Librarians in action. And it's…for the most part, worth the wait. Each Librarian has their strength and is constantly looking the part of pure badass. Michelle Yeoh and Angela Basset walking in slow motion down a red-lit corridor is just as effective as it sounds to prepare you for what's to come. The whole setup to the crucial scene is intense and enjoyable as we watch how each Librarian goes about their work is so exciting. The final fight scene, which I won't give away, again really drives home the point of using slow motion as a tool in delivering a really enjoyable scene that is not boring at all and is a consistent feast for the eyes. The film really uses a lot of silly concepts and brings them to life in an entertaining way, from having an eight-year-old control the steering and gears of a car while sitting on Sam's lap during a pursuit (in the period where her arms are still numbed) to crushing a head with a giant tooth, to Michelle Yeoh casually brandishing chains as weapons to Carla Gugino's placid face controlling an entire scene while she sends bullet casings raining down…it's just a lot of fun to watch!

So that'll take me to my next point: the actors and characters themselves. Karen Gillan is exhilarating to watch. In the very beginning of the movie, we see who this character is; she's robotic and mechanical, essentially a killing machine. But she knows how to let loose with some anime and cereal while stitching herself up. I think there's a strange connection that gets lost somewhere and it can seem like her acting isn't always up to par, but I don't think that's what's happening. The character of Sam is, like I said, a killing machine. Not unlike Driver in Drive, she's not altogether warm and it's not always her priority to understand her feelings or motives. Her interactions with young Emily are enjoyable to watch because it's an interesting dynamic that I don't think always gets addressed. Think back to the classic film The Professional (or Leon). While it's a phenomenal film, it's also a strange one that sexualizes Matilda, played by a very young Natalie Portman (who has gone on record stating how uncomfortable she was being portrayed in that light as a child). Of course, Leon isn't predatory and grows to love Matilda in a paternal sense, but there's always that strange narrative of Matilda being in love with Leon. What Gunpowder Milkshake did, I think, was nod toward the dynamic of a child, Emily, calling herself Sam's apprentice, much like Matilda, and while Sam seems to care about Emily in the same sense that Leon cared about Matilda, there's no weird coming-of-age, burgeoning sexuality aspect that's completely unnecessary to the story. I think it's one wrong the film corrected in that narrative (and don't get me wrong, The Professional is one of my absolute favorite movies!).

Moving on to the rest of the cast; again, as we are introduced to the Librarians, we're instantly intrigued. What do they do? How do they do it? The tools of their trade are hidden within books throughout the Library, using codes to adapt how one might be able to use said tool in said book. "Try self-help" clarifies one might find some cash and a knife in that section. So, you're automatically drawn to these characters, and it also helps they're played by such powerhouses. Anna May (Angela Basset) is intense and always ready. Madeline (Carla Gugino) is calm and collected, an ability I think Carla Gugino herself emits in everything she's a part of (her voice is the song of angels, fight me). And, of course, Florence (Michelle Yeoh), the wink-of-the-eye, stealthy, unsuspecting one. It's a fun ensemble to watch and while they all shine, and you're rooting for them and eager for them to reunite with Scarlet and Sam, I have one major complaint: I just wish there had been more. Their roles make sense to the story; for them to have been in the film more than they were wouldn't have been cohesive with the tale, so I get it. And when they're on screen, they're absolutely magical. While they play a huge role to the narrative, I just wish we could have seen more. That's all. But the content we get with them is so enthralling I can't complain too much.

Overall, it is a really fun and exciting film. The story is okay and there's nothing wrong with it. It is, after all, an action film, and we get what we need out of it, which is adrenaline-inducing fight scenes, great shots, fun characters, and plenty of blood and gore. The humor is sly and doesn't overpower the film; a film that knows what it's doing. There is a strong feminist message by the end of it that can be triggering to those who see that as being something off-putting (or choosing to remain ignorant of its meaning), and as I stated at the beginning: if your criteria for seeing women in action movies is that they be scantily clad and have as few lines as possible, or are only there to serve as a love interest to the protagonist, well, this really isn't the film for you. If you enjoy phenomenal actors and exciting fight scenes, then go nuts, kid! It's a goofy, wild, silly, enigmatic ride that is thoroughly enjoyable for what it is.

I'd definitely give it 4 out of 5 stars!

Gunpowder Milkshake is available to stream on Netflix (US) and in select theaters.