Haywire

Haywire is the kind of lucid thriller Paul Greengrass might make if he ever invested in a tripod. Breakneck action with graceful, but nasty, fight sequences isn't the main reason to cherish Steven Soderbergh’s latest genre experiment though. Gina Carano, MMA (mixed martial arts) champ and, on this evidence, future movie star, not only kicks arse when she goes toe-to-toe with Fassbender, Tatum and co.; she more than holds her own in the acting stakes too, creating a lean, mean assassin that renders recent female action turns by Angelina Jolie (Salt) and Zoe Saldana (Colombiana) utterly risible in retrospect. The patsy-out-for-payback plot may be old hat, but Soderbergh’s trademark tricksy structure and elliptical flashbacks do a fine job of making the familiar feel fresh. Indeed, it’s the prolific filmmaker's most vital film since his previous revenge flick, The Limey. Audiences who have suffered through Ewan McGregor’s ropey post-Trainspotting career can also delight in the Scot receiving a right good onscreen kicking. [Jamie Dunn]

Haywire official trailer