The Fine Colombian

 Ms. Spenser suggested we watch Colombiana (2011), based on a recommendation from her trainer, I think. Action/revenge flick starring Zoe Saldana? Of course! As it turned out, she skipped most of it, while I loved it.

It starts in Colombia, with a mother and father getting ready for a big gun battle, while their daughter Catelya, a school girl with pig tails in a blue skirt and white blouse sits quietly at the table. Her father tells her to take a SIM card, and use it as her passport. She waits at the table as her parents are gunned down, then as Jordi Molla interrogates her about the card. She stabs him and takes off. 

This movie was produced by Luc Besson, so you'd best believe there is a parkour chase through the favela (or whatever the name for a hilly shanty town is in Colombia). The girl runs, slips, slides and sneaks while a whole gang of traceurs follow her over the rooftops. But she makes it to the American embassy, hands over the card, and gets a trip to America out of the deal.

In America, she gives her minders the slip and runs to her uncle in Chicago, Cliff Curtis. She asks him to train her to be a killer, and he does. She grows up to be Zoe Saldana, a contract killer. But she also does her own killing on the side, leaving a drawing of a catelya orchid on each victim, trying to draw out the man who had her father killed, Molla's boss. 

And so she does.

In the process we get some fun capers and fights, both hand-to-hand and weapons. Saldana is often wearing a skintight body suit, which looks great. However, it does limit how much they use stunt doubles (try to match that body!). As a result, some of the action has to be done by editing. Still, she looks pretty bad-ass, even if she can't pull off all the moves. 

So, very predictable, somewhat stylish action movie with a fave lead actor. Directed by Olivier Megaton, who should really have more action movie credits with that name. Mainly known for Transporter III and the later Taken movies. It turns out that Ms. Spenser picked this out for me, not because she thought she would like it. Thanks, babe!