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by Jim Pappas Published: January 14, 2005
 Elektra (Jennifer Garner) takes aim at a living target in "Elektra." Frustrating is the operative word with "Elektra," the latest Marvel comic book series to get the big screen treatment. Starring Jennifer Garner in the title role, whose character here was first seen in the movie "Daredevil," the film has much promise that is unfulfilled. I'm not sure why Marvel comics feature so many dysfunctional anti-heroes as its principals, but in the case of "Elektra" they've created one who is not only an assassin, but also has obsessive-compulsive disorder as part of her resume. She arranges things in certain orders and counts her steps, although there are only a couple of scenes that demonstrate her affliction. For the most part, she is a laconic, powerful and ruthless killer, one who is paid a lot of money to rub out individuals someone else wants to see become "living impaired." She also has an erstwhile sidekick named McCabe (well played by Colin Cunningham), whose existence is never explained (part of the frustration), and the film opens with a sequence in which she terminates someone for some reason we never know (more frustration). That is the biggest problem with "Elektra." There are just too many loose and dangling ends that are not addressed, and that is probably because the movie is just too short at 96 minutes. "Elektra" is one of those rare films that suffers from "a lack of" rather than "too much of." Oddly enough, director Rob Bowman ("The X-Files" film, "Reign of Fire") seems more comfortable directing the small and intimate scenes here. The action sequences are clunky and disjointed for the most part and lack a certain dynamic tension that is necessary to be effective. I noticed that same lack of cohesiveness in the action scenes in "Reign" as well, so perhaps Mr. Bowman might want to consider taking his career in a different direction. The screenplay, by Zak Penn, Stuart Zicherman and Raven Metzner is palatable, and I don't feel it is the story or dialogue that diminishes the film. I think that the producers made the assumption that audiences would be familiar enough with the Elektra character that many things could go unexplained or not referenced and we would "know" why certain aspects of story and character develop as they do. Unfortunately, that is simply not the way to go about making a major motion picture. One must develop a character on screen, not just throw them at the viewer. After the initial sequence involving Elektra and her target, she retires to her home with the intention of taking some time off from the business of killing. However, McCabe has one more lucrative job lined up for her, one that pays so much it is impossible for Elektra to refuse it. She is sent to a remote island that appears to be somewhere in the Pacific northwest, where she stays in a rented estate and waits for her instructions. When she finally discovers who it is she is supposed to kill on this assignment, her life takes a complete and sudden turn. I can't say much more than what I've already said about the story without giving away too much, but I will mention that Elektra finds not only love of another, but love of self along the way to the film's conclusion. Terence Stamp is featured in "Elektra" as her former sensei (mentor) who goes by the moniker "Stick" and there are three truly horrific and nasty villains called "Stone" (Bob Sapp), "Tattoo" (no, not Herve V., this one is played by Chris Ackerman), and Typhoid (Natassia Malthe). This triumvirate poses quite a challenge for Ms. E, and I applaud the choice of villains as they create a definite "edge" within the film. "Elektra isn't a bad movie, just an incomplete one, but that is enough for me to rate it below other films from Marvel. I just hope the folks there take a bit more time creating their next big screen adventure and understand that not everyone reads their comic books. Overall Rating: C+ |
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