Haywire

I am convinced director Steven Soderbergh wants to be some modern day talent scout who discovers a young woman and makes her into an international superstar (and you can't just hang around the soda counter at Schwab's anymore, so this is more difficult than it was in the 1930's). He failed with Sasha Grey in The Girlfriend Experience, while he could be more successful with Gina Carano in Haywire, if they can get past all of those rumors about looping in another voice for hers.

Current MMA/Muy Thai fighter, and former American Gladiator (she was Crush), Carano stars as Mallory - a former Marine who has become some sort of covert operative working for a shadowy company that carries out the kind of dirty work governments need performed, but want to maintain plausible deniability about afterwards. After rescuing a journalist in Barcelona, Mallory has decided to get out of the business, but is called back by her boss, Kenneth (Ewan McGregor), to do one more job by request of the new client.

Why do they want Mallory?

What is going on here?

Who can she trust?

How much will it hurt when she starts to kick booty?

Haywire is full of many big names like Channing Tatum, Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Ewan McGregor, and Michael Fassbender, but this is the Gina Carano movie from start to finish, which has its benefits and drawbacks.

One of the benefits is Carano's screen presence and an ability to kick booty approaching that of Jason Statham. Some of the fight scenes feel repetitive (which is not her fault), but you can't deny the brutality of the choreography, which is shocking in the right way. Carano, with her fighting background, is able to make it feel real when she busts up whoever is in her way or trying to do her harm.

One of the drawbacks is Carano's lack of acting ability. She's OK, as Mallory is supposed to be a calm, level headed, unemotional professional, but Carano is almost too one note. She seems to have one, angry face which is upon her countenance for 99% of the movie. It is appropriate and works for most of Haywire, but it would be good to see her more emotional, especially in some scenes with her father (Bill Paxton).

Which, unfortunately, leads into our discussion of whether not we are hearing Carano's voice in Haywire. A few weeks ago, the gang at TMZ noticed how different her voice was on their tape of her out and about in Hollywood compared to the voice they were hearing in trailers and commercials for Haywire. It turns out, they were right, as Carano admitted her voice was altered.

Why is this a big deal? I think it is because Soderbergh is bringing in this person who has never acted before and trying to make her into a star. It's insulting to attempt to bring in a pretty face, and a tough fighter, then replace her voice because it might not be up to snuff. I'd like to think actors are not interchangeable parts mostly valued for how they look, because we can alter their shortcomings to maintain the benefits of their looks (stop laughing, I actually mean it). Plus, let's earn it with some dedication and hard work (again, stop laughing).

However, the biggest problem with Haywire is the storytelling. Soderbergh and writer Lem Dobbs try too hard to keep everything mysterious, surprising and confusing to a fault. Sure, we are not supposed to figure out every little secret and twist immediately, but the two don't play fair with the audience as we get twists for twists' sake and it all becomes so hazy, I felt myself giving up on trying to figure out the plot. I figured I could sit back, enjoy watching Carano kick some booty, then let Soderbergh reveal the bad guy at the end.

Haywire is a decent action movie with Soderbergh's traditional visual flair.

Haywire is rated R for some violence.