“Survivor” tells the story of Kate Abott (Milla Jovovich, “The Fifth Element”), a foreign service officer who turns rogue to catch a terrorist. Kate must run from her colleagues after the mysterious “Watchmaker”, played by Pierce Brosnan (“GoldenEye”), frames her for a murder and an act of terror in the streets of London.
The movie opens with a dramatic war scene, set in Afghanistan, where an unknown enemy captures two U.S. soldiers. From there, the film transports the audience to the U.S. Embassy in London and introduces viewers to a team of security professionals tasked with finding suspicious travelers. Within the first fifteen minutes of the film, rookie team member Kate encounters a case her superiors want to hide. This odd activity motivates her to uncover her superiors’ secrets. Before long, Kate mysteriously finds her entire team dead. “Survivor” tells the story of Kate Abott (Milla Jovovich, “The Fifth Element”), a foreign service officer who turns rogue to catch a terrorist. Kate must run from her colleagues after the mysterious “Watchmaker”, played by Pierce Brosnan (“GoldenEye”), frames her for a murder and an act of terror in the streets of London.
Almost every scene in the film features an explosion, a fist fight or a chase down a dark alley, which all inevitably end with Kate’s narrow escape. Throughout the movie, this action seems repetitive, excessive and boring. The structure of the film eliminates the chance for any one actor to deliver a particularly moving performance because all characters act equally restless. Although this chaos may seem negative, if the audience keeps a tab on the plot, viewers can expect an intriguing, complex story of heroism and unraveling conspiracies. If not, prepare for an hour and a half of seemingly endless destruction through gunfire.
Kate’s adventure ultimately leads her to accidentally stumble upon a huge, violent terrorist scheme aimed at Times Square on New Year’s Eve. An event as familiar as the ball drop on New Year’s Eve seems out of place within the context of the film.
Despite the film’s awkwardness, “Survivor” offers an interesting, melodramatic and somewhat realistic view into the world of counterterrorism. The movie serves as a tribute to the people who dedicate their lives to protecting their nation. “Survivor” comes at the perfect time as talks of ISIS and cyber-terrorism dominate American news coverage; the film’s timing may serve as the factor that make it a success.
“Survivor” (PG-13, 96 min) is now playing at AMC Hoffman.
Grade: B-
