Anna is a 2018 action-thriller film directed by Luc Besson, the genius behind the successful movies like The Professional and La Femme Nikita. With Anna, he attempts to showcase the prowess of a female lead in a high-stakes thriller. Sasha Luss plays the titular role of Anna Poliatova, a Russian model turned undercover assassin. However, the film fails to live up to its predecessors and lacks the much-needed spark to keep the audiences on the edge of their seats.
Synopsis
The movie revolves around Anna, who lives with her abusive boyfriend. Fed up with her circumstances, she seeks a way out and tries to leave her boyfriend. One day, while on a heist with her boyfriend, Anna meets Alex, who had been keeping tabs on her. Alex is astounded by Anna’s military background and murders her boyfriend to get her to join the KGB. Anna agrees to Alex’s offer and undergoes a year of strenuous training followed by four years of fieldwork. After completing her training, Anna joins KGB and is assigned to pose as a model. Her mission is to kill a wealthy Russian businessman, Oleg Filenkov. However, the CIA gets wind of the impending hit and sends Leonard Miller to investigate. Anna is subsequently caught in the crossfire between the two intelligence agencies and is forced to make a difficult choice.
Review
Anna is let down by its cast that does not quite fit the bill. Although Sasha Luss does an impressive job portraying the lead, the same cannot be said for Luke Evans and Helen Mirren. Their roles as Russians seem a bit contrived and do not hold up well.
The romantic subplot in this movie feels forced and unnecessary. Anna’s story has enough grit, and the inclusion of a generic love interest only detracts from it. The romantic scenes feel out of place and diminish what the movie had going for it.
Another disadvantage is the way the movie handles time. Although the movie is set in the 90s, it doesn’t feel authentic. The gadgets and technology used in the movie feel incredibly modern, giving Anna a somewhat futuristic feel. That being said, the visuals of the film are fantastic, with the cinematography capturing the essence of Russia beautifully.
Conclusion
Anna is a decent movie that fails to stand out. Despite a strong lead and engaging story, it fails to deliver on most other fronts. Part of the reason for its failure is the movie’s tendency to rely on a generic romantic subplot that does little to elevate the narrative. Additionally, Anna’s vision of the 90s feels incomplete, and its technological aspects do not fit well within the movie’s setting. However, if you are a fan of action thrillers and appreciate a good female lead, then Anna is worth checking out.
