Since December 1st, Ava is available on Netflix. Directed by Tate Taylor, the director of The Color of Feelings, The Train Girl and Ma, Ava, among others, brings together an impressive cast including Jessica Chastain, John Malkovich, Geena Davis, Colin Farrell and rapper Common. Unfortunately, a good cast is not enough to make a good film.
Ava: classic and redundant thriller
Ava joins the recent list of female thrillers centered on a ruthless killer. After Red Sparrow, Atomic Blonde or the recent Anna, Tate Taylor's film fits perfectly into this continuity, and into this type of film. Ava presents the story of a hitwoman who loses her footing, and whose agency will turn against her. And the feature film is full of good intentions, trying to give more space to the female figure, to thwart James Bond and its countless variations. 
Unfortunately, the proposal does not really work. Tate Taylor signs a terribly classic film, which piles up all the clichés of the genre. Ava offers nothing innovative, nothing surprising and stages a rather boring plot. All the clichés of the genre are presented, without real verve or artistic vision. A lazy specification where each box is ticked without style, and in a terribly academic way.
An unreadable staging
Jessica Chastain may give everything to carry the film on her shoulders, but nothing helps. And if the writing is not brilliant, the story nevertheless holds up, especially for fans of the undemanding genre. With a qualitative staging, the film could have looked like something. Unfortunately, the director literally crashes with the action scenes. The staging does not offer anything incredible, and the action sequences are filmed with a lot of approximation. The rendering is sorely lacking in visibility, fluidity and clarity. Some fights are properly illegible, which spoils the popcorn movie potential of the production. 
And as for John Malkovich, he locks himself once again into the role of the leading agent, who gives platonic, and tasteless orders. Roles that he multiplies excessively as if he was stuck in an endless loop. In short, remains a pleasant confrontation, slight visual and narrative fulgurance, between Colin Farrell and John Malkovich. But hey, overall, it's better to go your way. Ava is a low-end entertainment, which is in line with Luc Besson's unpleasant Anna. An ultra classic spy thriller that features action scenes shot without any real direction. And all the will of Jessica Chastain does not save the film from sinking. https://youtu.be/eLEwNo78f0k
