Beckinsale delivers a jolt to the system

Jolt (R, 91 mins)

Directed by Tanya Wexler Reviewed by James Croot ★★★★

She has played Ava Gardner, Shakespeare’s Hero and was at the centre of Pearl Harbor ’s love triangle, but to a certain section of Kate Beckinsale’s fanbase she’ll always be Underworld’s Selene.

Across five films in the cult fantasy series, the British actor showcased her action skills and ability to squeeze into skin-tight outfits. Now, after a five-year hiatus, she is back doing more of the former and none of the latter in a role that has her vamping it up in a very different way.

In Jolt, the Hysteria director Tanya Wexler’s riotous new dark comedy thriller, the now 47-yearold Beckinsale is Lindy, a bouncer with a ‘‘gift’’. When people do bad things or simply piss her off, she responds with explosive, uncontrolled rage.

Understandably, some see it as more of a condition, or a disorder. Her parents realised early that Lindy couldn’t live safely in the world, and the world wasn’t safe from her. Military training didn’t help and interested parties, lured by her potential as a weapon, just made her angrier and even more volatile.

With the help of psychiatrist Dr Munchin (Stanley Tucci) and some natty electroshock technology, Lindy finally found a way to curb the worst of her impulses, although the violent fantasies definitely still remain.

It has even enabled her to attempt to start dating, although her initial dinner with accountant Justin (Jai Courtney) ends with her punching out a snobbish waitress in the ladies’ loos.

To Lindy’s surprise, he not only agrees to a second date, but seems unfazed when she reveals she has a ‘‘few tics’’. ‘‘Like tourettes?’’ he asks. ‘‘Just a tiny bit more intense,’’ she responds.

A night of passion ensues and Lindy finds herself smitten by Justin’s easy-going ways and desire to please her. But within 24 hours, police discover his body in a dumpster – two bullets to the head.

Unimpressed with police efforts to track down his killer and bereft that she has lost the one person she’d finally connected with, Lindy decides to take matters into her own hands.

‘‘Some people cry, some people drink, some people write s… poetry. I hurt people – and I’m

going to use that to my advantage,’’ she says.

While not exactly original –

Jolt is essentially a cross between John Wick, Deadpool and Crank – debutant screenwriter Scott Wascha’s juicy premise fair crackles in the hands of Wexler and Beckinsale.

The role really does give the latter a chance to cut loose, delivering whip-smart observations and cynical comments with the same vigour and panache as the copious fight scenes. A car chase that highlights Lindy’s inability to drive a manual vehicle is a hoot, and a scene in a hospital nursery is not for the faint-hearted or easily offended. Then there’s her lament for her dead, fleeting boyfriend.

‘‘He wanted to cook me fish,’’ she opines.

For her part, Wexler keeps the action coming thick and fast, ensuring no two fight scenes are the same, lacing the tale with a thick streak of black humour and surrounding her star with a terrific supporting cast that also includes Laverne Cox, Bobby Cannavale, Susan Sarandon and David Bradley.

Tighter and arguably slightly more effective than recent cinema release Gunpowder Milkshake, this is a sorely needed, refreshing jolt to the increasingly tired looking Hollywood action movie genre.

Jolt is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video.