A One Mann’s Movies review of “The Mother” (2023).
“You don’t know how bad this gets” says “The Mother” (Jennifer Lopez) at one point near the start of this film. Well, frankly, I was bracing myself. But the fact of the matter is that this action flick never got really bad. It never got really good. It just sat there, festering, in “meh” land for me.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Plot Summary:
“The Mother” (Jennifer Lopez’s unnamed protagonist) has been knocked-up by one of two bad-uns while working undercover: an evil illegal arms-dealer Adrian (Joseph Fiennes) and a Cuban gangster Hector (Gael García Bernal). She gives up the child to adoption for her protection. Now 12 years later, after she has been living in the Alaskan wilderness, The Mother is forced to come back out into the open after her daughter Zoe (Lucy Paez) comes under threat.
Certification:
UK: 15; US: R. (From the BBFC: “Injury detail, threat, sexual threat, violence”).
Talent:
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Joseph Fiennes, Gael García Bernal, Lucy Paez, Paul Raci.
Directed by: Niki Caro.
Written by: Misha Green, Andrea Berloff & Peter Craig .
Twitter Handle: #TheMotherMovie.
JUST STOP THE BIKE WHY DON’T YA? “The Mother” (Jeffifer Lopez) with “The Daughter” Zoe (Lucy Paez). (Source: Netflix.)
“The Mother” Review:
Positives:
- The film is ‘lightly glossy’ for a Netflix production. It doesn’t feel ‘cheap’ but it doesn’t have quite the high level of production values as we found in “Red Notice” or “Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre“.
- Jennifer Lopez cuts a striking figure for an action heroine and who doesn’t like to see an athletic woman kicking ass? Her tight black jumpsuit in a snowy landscape is great for showing off her obvious attributes (but might not be the best choice for evading bad guys! LOL).
- Joseph Fiennes seems to have fun playing the villain.
- There are a few of the action scenes that work. A “message” delivered via a snowmobile is particularly enjoyable.
Negatives:
- Don’t shout at me, but I don’t find Jennifer Lopez a great actress, as demonstrated during some of her more dramatic scenes in this.
- The action scenes in this movie never quite came up to the ‘state of the art’ for me. There is a chase scene in Havana that – whilst not bad – lacks the tight editing and adrenaline rush of similar scenes in Bourne or Bond. And the director is trying too hard to make it look seamless. “Oh, here’s a box of oranges on the wall. Let’s tip it over so that they artfully roll into shot in the next angle”. (Sorry Niki, you’ve been rumbled!)
- I know that sexual desire makes men do stupid things, but Hector – – really? Surely you want to frisk her and then tie her up before you have your way with such a dangerous woman!
- There’s an immensely unrealistic scene where Zoe is scooped onto a moving bike. It just looks terrible. Just stop the bike!!!
Summary Thoughts on “The Mother”
If you like this sort of formulaic action film then you might be very content to park your brain at the door, grab a bucket of popcorn and enjoy this one. It’s undemanding fare. For me, it was “fine” but nothing better than fine. It borrows from lots of other similar action thrillers (including “Die Hard 2” for the snowmobile action). I will honestly struggle to remember this one in a few weeks.
“The Mother” is currently streaming on Netflix.
[fblike]
Trailer for “The Mother”
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BFdFeOS3oM .
