Protector: Milla Jovovich Can’t Quite Save This Dud (Early Review)

Directed by Adrian Grünberg, Protector is a new action thriller that stars Milla Jovovich as Nikki, an ex-soldier Nikki who left her violent military life behind to raise her daughter Chloe (Myers). However, Nikki’s life soon found itself shattered when Chloe is kidnapped by human traffickers, setting her off in a race against time to comb through the criminal underworld in search of her daughter before its too late. To do so, she must elude not only criminals, the cops, but also the military, led by her former mentor Colonel Joseph Lavelle (Matthew Modine). Either way, Nikki would stop at nothing to get her daughter back. A decent action thriller that brings absolutely nothing new to the table, Protector isn’t the most memorable though in spite of this, still does enough to get by.

Jovovich has built her entire career playing badass female protagonists in the vein of Nikki, the kind of role she can play in her sleep, and that is definitely still the case here. Emerging as the best part of the film, she commits herself every step of the way. Here, she delivers an emotionally charged performance, and holds her own across the action sequences. Modine’s Lavelle may not appear until later into the film, but he delivers a solid supporting performance as one of the few sympathetic characters to Nikki’s cause. Meanwhile, Myers also turns in strong work as Chloe, selling the strained mother-daughter relationship at the heart of the film off the strength of the chemistry between her and Jovovich.

On the other hand, while the action sequences may not be mind blowing by any means, offering up variety and the occasional shaky cam, dim lighting, and quick cut editing, they are still fun for the most part and are well helmed by Grünberg. Setting the tone with a brutal car chase, the film makes the most of it 14A/R rating well, not skimping on the brutality featured in its action sequences. Not the most demanding watch, clocking in at around the 90-minute mark, it moves at a fast pace. That being said, this doesn’t change the fact that it is as derivative as action thrillers get, doing very little to distinguish itself or amongst an already crowded genre. Though the action is entertaining at times, none of it, or anything else for that matter, will stay with audiences as soon as the credits roll. Outside of the aforementioned actors, the acting comes off as pretty rough and a bit amateurish, especially up against seasoned actors like Jovovich and Modine.

In terms of antagonists, the film is similarly lacking, failing to give Jovovich’s Nikki a single worthy foe to go up against and lowering the stakes, which are counteractive to the on paper sense of urgency from the film’s race against time premise. While it is hard not to give the filmmakers credit for taking a wild swing and attempting a third act big twist reveal that will force audiences to reconsider everything that came before. However, the reveal is beyond far fetched, and is just too silly for its own good. Not helping its case, it is also introduced far too late in the game as from there, the film essentially ends abruptly ends. It is best to not ask too many questions because the answers will undeniably create plot holes that the filmmakers clearly had no intention of answering.

Protector should entertain casual action fans through its decent action sequences and a game Milla Jovovich performance but below the surface, it is merely another derivative action thriller that audiences are likely to forget about almost immediately. While not a terrible film, it feels like yet another Taken ripoff not worth rushing out right away for and more like a streaming watch somewhere down the road.

still courtesy of Magenta Light Studios

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Connor Carey

www.connorsmoviereviews.com/