The Protege – A Sharp Action Thriller (Early Review)

Character-driven action film origin stories as of late have more or less followed the same formula with the only thing essentially setting them apart from one another is their execution of that formula. When it comes to The Protege, it fortunately has the right people behind it to ensure the film some success as it unsurprisingly attempts to create yet another franchise. The film’s execution of that tired premise makes for a compelling albeit slightly convoluted and somewhat predictable twisty and turny thriller with some great action sequences but in the end, what will surely be most remembered here is its great cast and dynamic chemistry, led by a star-making performance from Maggie Q and a fun performance by Michael Keaton. Although the film is not perfect by any means, perhaps trying too hard at times in balancing world-building and establishing its lead character, it could definitely do more with the latter. Nevertheless, that is just minor in the grand scheme of what will be a surprise that earns its 14A/R rating.

The Protege follows a woman named Anna (Q), a skilled contract killer who was rescued at a young age by a man named Moody (Jackson) who essentially became a father to her and taught her everything she knew. Once Moody is found brutally-murdered over the course of her latest contract, Anna sets out on a revenge mission against the forces responsible wherever that may lead. Little did she know, that mission would take her on a journey involving the circumstances behind her past and a decade-long conspiracy that tied it all together. Weaving in that conspiracy with moment from Anna’s past though with more of a focus on the former, her journey was a compelling one that saw her many skills put to the test and suffice it to say that she could take care of herself. She leveraged those skills and connections to her advantage in inching closer to the truth and those looking to stop her while failing at every turn.

When it came to building up the character of Anna and unravelling the mystery of her journey, the balance wasn’t quite where it should have been, especially with the overly-convoluted nature of the latter. That being said, Anna was so fun to watch that it didn’t matter as much. As she navigated her way through countless challenges in engaging ways, the mystery through her for a few loops that weren’t exactly the most shocking. Eventually, The Protege became much more interesting as Anna was offered more of a formal adversary in the form of a man named Michael (Keaton), another killer with a similar skill set who worked for those looking to stop her. Their cat and mouse game wasn’t so much an adversarial one but that of mutual interest, fascination, and respect to an extent. That contrast between Michael and the people he worked for was fueled by that fascination of Anna and made for an entertaining dynamic that set him apart from the world of the rest of the story. Meanwhile, his antagonistic dynamic with Anna was also an absolute blast to watch.

The unfolding of the film’s mystery may not have been as seamless but it still found a way to come together in enough of a satisfying way by the end. Though the eventual trajectories of the characters shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone, the climax still worked. As the film appeared to be an attempt to create another franchise, it leaves the door open for me and while whether or not that will happens remains to be seen, it will certainly be welcome as there is definitely potential for more. As far as the action is concerned, there could have been more, For what the film had, it was not only well-choreographed but also well-edited in a way that made sequences exciting and flow in a decent way.

The best part of The Protege ultimately was its performances across the board and the excellent chemistry amongst its main cast which were elevated by some sharp writing. What more can be said about Maggie Q? She was a force that did not only handle herself admirably with all the action, her dynamic screen presence and likability made her the complete package and a blast to watch. Keaton as Michael was also an absolute delight and a perfect counterbalance to Q’s Anna, stealing scenes with his quips and overall eccentric energy while also handling himself in the many action sequences that he was a part of. Finally, Jackson’s Moody brought that same trademark Samuel L. Jackson energy in just the right amount and was also a delight to watch.

At the end of the day, The Protege is a quality action-thriller and a genuine surprise that will hopefully continue.

still courtesy of VVS Films

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.