Steven Soderbergh is one of those directors who experiments, tries new things, and moves in and out of genres like most people change clothes every day. The unpredictability of the work he puts out leaves movie fans wondering what he’ll attempt to tackle next. Some of his films are critically acclaimed, sometimes they’re commercially successful, and other times he puts out a movie or two that flies under the radar yet gains just enough traction to keep people following him. Haywire would fit into that last category, and it’s definitely deserving of a larger audience than it has currently.
Haywire is not exactly a story that hasn’t been done before, but Soderbergh’s style is what sets it apart from other films that operate in the world of ‘secret agents’.
Gina Carano stars in this espionage narrative as ‘Mallory Kane’. The storyline is straightforward enough to follow, as Kane is a black ops agent who after accepting a routine mission is later set up by her superiors. She must then fight to run away, stay alive, and exact revenge upon those who made her a target. Haywire is not exactly a story that hasn’t been done before, but Soderbergh’s style is what sets it apart from other films that operate in the world of ‘secret agents’. His nonlinear storytelling also enhances the plot, even beginning the movie in such a way that’s initially confusing though later revealing as everything begins to unfold. With a roster of well-known stars, and at the time some up and comers, the director delivers an action movie that’s not absent substance or overloaded with mindless violence or unrealistic shootouts.
The actors that make the cut for Haywire were some of Hollywood’s biggest names such as Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Ewan McGregor and Bill Patxton. There is also the addition of Michael Fassbender, Channing Tatum, and of course Carano, all of whom in recent years have made numerous appearances with prestigious directors and/or big budget franchises. Some of the larger names are short lived in screen time though, with Gina Carano dominating most of the movie’s run. The mixed martial artist engages in some of the most professionally choreographed fight scenes, directed by Soderbergh in a more realistic approach as opposed to Hollywood’s usual over the top techniques. Carano’s acting, though not a huge asset, is adequate and elevated by the rest of the veterans around her. This was all thanks to Soderbergh, as he used everyone’s strengths to overshadow certain faults and place a spotlight on everything that is done correctly; thus, making a movie that’s complete and enjoyable.
Haywire does enough to earn it more attention, and what it gets wrong isn’t so much that it should be left forgotten. It has certainly paid off in sending Carano’s career as an actress to new heights, earning her more appearances. It also succeeds in showing Steven Soderbergh as a director that is worthy of entering into new areas, with at the very least allowing him to show audiences that he won’t be boxed into doing things one way. Action, engaging content, and favourable appearances, Haywire is one of his golden nuggets, and won’t be his last.
