Iffy for 15+
Fight-filled adventure centers on female action hero.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Haywire is an action movie starring former mixed martial arts fighter Gina Carano (Fight Girls). Expect plenty of kicking, punching, and beating, as well as shootings, dead bodies, and some blood. The main female character is shown in sexy outfits and poses; there's some kissing and one playfully suggestive scene, but no real nudity. Language is infrequent but includes a few uses of "s--t" and one "f--k." Alcohol is often present in a social/background way, and one character smokes a cigarette. The movie is definitely violent, but Carano could be seen as a strong role model for teen girls: She's confident and powerful and shows off a body that's not supermodel skinny.
- Families can talk about Haywire's violence. How necessary was it to include dead bodies? Could the story have worked without the killings?
- When Carano fights, is it violent and ugly, or graceful and beautiful? Or both? Do you consider her a role model?
- What's the difference between getting revenge and setting things right? Do the ends ever justify the means?
The good stuff
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Messages: Haywire's major theme is betrayal, followed by revenge. Although this revenge includes violence, you could argue that it's a way to set things right and to protect innocent people.
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Role models: In real life, co-star Gina Carano was one of the world's best female mixed martial arts fighters (she's now retired). In the movie, she's powerful and resourceful and often strives to do the right thing, making her a strong role model in certain ways. Unfortunately, she also occasionally kills an opponent, sometimes in self-defense, but sometimes not.
What to watch for
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Violence: Haywire has several martial arts fight scenes, which sometimes result in injuries and blood, sometimes with dead bodies. There's also shooting and some blood. Many of the fights involve men hitting a woman. A character is shot in the head (with a pillow over the face to muffle the sound). A bad guy is captured with a heavy sliding metal door. There's a car chase and crash in the woods, with a dead deer. A character throws hot coffee in another's face.
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Sex: Some kissing. In one scene, the female hero playfully undoes a male colleague's belt; nothing more is shown, but the scene definitely suggests sex. She is also shown in a variety of sexy outfits and poses, though she balks at an assignment where she's meant to be "eye candy."
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Language: Language is fairly infrequent but does include several uses of "s--t" and one "f--k." Characters also use "hell" and exclaim "oh my God" and "Jesus Christ" during tense moments.
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Consumerism: Not an issue
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: Most of the characters are seen with alcoholic drinks at some point -- beer, wine, champagne, or whisky -- but always in a social/background way. One character complains of being hung over and tries to order a beer early in the morning. Another character smokes a cigarette in one scene.
Fan Reviews provided by
5
Trailers mis-communicate what your are getting into by Matt_B_77
This is a very good movie BUT your perception of it before you see it will affect whether you like it or not. The trailers do not do any justice at really promoting this movie for the great movie it is. They show it as one of those non-stop Jason Statham CRANK type action flicks; it is not! The action is great and intense (Michael Fassbender fight scene is astonishing) but the storyline is more slow paced; even during flashbacks you get a real time feel to how everything is progressing. Additionally, you do not discover how everything ties together until the end. You get the premise of what's going down early on but the "why" happens in the last 5 minutes of the film. Steven Soderbergh has done a great job at constructing a movie that brings an old school Dirty Harry/Paul Kersey character type into a woman's role. He has gritty elements of 70's action/drama with 70's style martial arts fight scenes. Lastly Gina's acting; B+ but it's just her first gig; nowhere but up from here.
4
Not Perfect, but Good by GigoloJane
I didn't go into Haywire expecting much. I went into it as a Gina Carano fan who wanted to see her doing what she does best...fighting. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw so much more. The trailers have been misleading and I think that's part of the reason audiences haven't responded well. If you were sucked in by the trailers, you were most likely expecting a non-stop barrage of gratuitous fight scenes and that's not at all what this movie is.
However, the fights that are there are gorgeous and brilliantly realistic. Carano is very much in her element in those moments. For someone with no prior acting experience, Carano truly turns in a stellar performance as Mallory Kane, a character that is about as far opposite Carano's bashful and sweet personality as you can get. She's stunning in the scenes with Fassbender. The movie isn't perfect, it was a bit disjointed and the story could have been fleshed out more, but it's not bad. The 60s/70s score is very refreshing.
4
Straightforward Noir Action by drewbach
Though the trailer sets up a conspiracy espionage flick, the plot is really more escape and revenge--it's straightforward to the point of being simplistic. The cast is peppered by talented actors having fun, but the script doesn't supply any very interesting roles. First timer Gina Carano makes up with presence what she lacks in technique--she's charismatic and in-control.
Where the film shines is its action scenes. Both fights and chases are gripping, pulse-pounding and both stylish and realistic. I actually wondered if some of the escapes might be entirely improvised. The film revels in its stars' athleticism.
Ultimately the emphasis on action is too overbalanced---the movie doesn't really have anything to say, not about its subject or its characters. If you're looking for something a bit thought provoking, you'll feel like you've wasted your time. But if you're looking for a cathartic, well-executed and completely unpretentious action film, this is for you.
3
Haywire has it all but comes up just average by Mopar_McNeer
I have a big review found at aseclub.com.
Here is the long and short of it IMO:
Great Cast, Great Director, Great Action Sequences, but slow pacing, a plotline that was far too basic & lacking the suspense and depth, and an unfulfilling ending.
The movie was a solid "C". Maybe a C+ or B- simply because the fight sequences were pretty cool and the cast/acting was excellent.
Despite the somewhat lacking plotline and slow pacing, I do think that you should still see this film. Just not in the theater. Wait til it comes out on DVD and you don't have to spend $20 on a pair of movie tickets. But best thing to come out of this movie though, hopefully the beginning of an action film career for Gina Carano. I would love to see her get her own type of action film series and character (similar to Indiana Jones, Lara Croft, or Jason Bourne). She really can kick some tail.
3
Haywire Review by amoviefan78
I was super excited to see this one as I love action movies, female leads & Channing Tatum. Unfortunately this one wasn't all it was cracked up to be. The fight scenes were intense and well choreographed. Gina did a decent job and held her own with all the high watt star power. The cinematography was great and the editing was well done. Alas the script left most of the pertinent info out and some of his story conventions were silly. While I was able to piece together what happened, there was quite a lot of explanation left out and the final fight scene looked staged and ridiculous. Overall it felt more like the season finale of a tv series, albeit it a series I hadn't watched all season and thus had only a rudimentary understanding of what was going on. A decent watch but not worth the $12.25 I paid for it.
4
Solid Action Flick by Geeman60
OK....Gina Carano isn't going to win an Oscar any time soon. Having said that, Haywire is a very solid action flick full of outstanding action scenes in which Ms. Carano gives a better than expected performance for a first-timer. Her martial arts skills are apparent as she punches, kicks and chokes her way through most of the male characters. She's already a better actor than Chuck Norris ever was.
Throw in a supporting cast of veterans like Douglas. Paxton Banderas, etc all as good as usual and you end up with a movie well worth the price of admission.
4
Haywire by alangilbert
A rather satisfactory action film and a memorable debut for the female lead Gina Carano who is apparently making the transition from being a competitive mixed martial artist. Reminiscent of the Bourne trilogy, it features lots of action sequences in a variety of locales and situations. Surrounded by a cast that included quite a few big-name screen actors (Ewan MacGregor, Antonio Banderis etc) Ms Carano is carefully directed and inhabits a rather enigmatic personna, her feelings hidden behind a poker face (not inappropriate in a game of intrigue) and while not conventionally pretty she exudes a sensual, feline athletic presence and a rough tomboy-next-door-on-steroids charm.
Nice revenge fantasy, escapist diversion with engaging suspense. Good example of the genre.
4
Awesome action flick! by the rater
If you are expecting cerebral dialogue and academy award winning performances then just don't go see this. If you are an action movie fan do not miss this flick! The fight scenes were absolutely bone shattering. None of this super fast blurry combat where you can't see what is happening. There are arm bars, chokes, wall slams, mirrors shattering, bullets flying, stuff breaking everywhere, amusement park class driving. It was great seeing an action movie actress who was completely credible. She is fit, strong, fast, and beautiful. The movie ended like it was set up for a sequel - I hope there is one.
3
A female action hero? by suuave
Steven Segal, Jean Claud VanDamm...Gina Caranos? I went in with low expectations and was not disappointed. Her acting wasn't the best but it was on par with that atrocious script. One of her lines was "I don't like loose ends", yet the script left a whole bunch of them all over the place. Characters were place strategically or only in-line with their personalities when convenient. SWAT Team members and LEOs (Law Enforcement Officer) able to track her and be somewhere before she even knew she was going. And since when does an MI-6 agent (think 007) turn into a whinny little boy after a beat down? The whole flow of the movie is forced. Its like the script went Haywire.
Bottom Line: If you just want to see Gina kick-@$$, then definitely go. If you want to see a great spy thriller that makes sense, go see something else.
1
Haywire by RICDICULOUS
It was the worst movie I have seen in 20 years. The plot was horroble. The action was dismal and fight seens were something out of an old chinese movie (bad).
I would not recommend it to anyone! Thank god I got $5 tickets.