Jolt (2021)

Jolt (2021)

This is the third film by director Tanya Wexler. It’s pretty bad, and I wonder if the other two are any better: Buffaloed (2020), a story about debt, and Hysteria (2011), which is about the creation of the first vibrator. I’ll have to check them out!

What films did this one remind me of? Actually, it reminded me of Crank 1 & 2 (2006 and 2009). It’s just as crazy, but unfortunately just as bad.

As for the actors and actresses:

Kate Beckinsale is still a hell of an actress. I think she has moved beyond the stage where we could doubt her talents and just say she is beautiful. She is also an action woman, as she is often cast in fairly muscular roles, such as in her famous Underworld (2003 to 2016), Van Helsing (2004) and Canary Black (2024). That hasn’t stopped her from starring in romances like Emma (1996), dramas like The Face of an Angel (2015), dramatic horror thrillers like The Disappointments Room (2016), historical dramas like Pearl Harbor (2001), and comedies like Click (2006). Whiteout (2009) is also full of suspense with a little action, but not too much. As for horror thrillers, we can mention Vacancy (2007). Yes, the list is very long!

Jai Courtney (Jack Reacher, Die Hard 5, Suicide Squad, Buffaloed, Dangerous Animals) plays a rather interesting, ambiguous role. In any case, he must have had a lot of fun. He has already appeared in many action films alongside big names such as Tom Cruise, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Liam Neeson, and Russell Crowe.

Stanley Tucci (Conclave, Night Hunter, Patient Zero, Some Velvet Morning, The Hunger Games, The Lovely Bones) has an impressive filmography. I feel like he’s acted with everyone. He’s played a romantic lead, a police chief, the first zombie to catch the virus, a hypocritical TV host, and a man of the church. Here, he plays the heroine’s therapist, who is talented in technology.

Bobby Cannavale (100 Feet, Blue Jasmine, Danny Collins, Blonde, and I, Tonya) starred in a series I’d love to see called The Watcher with Naomi Watts. For me, he’s the kind of actor who is sometimes difficult to place, meaning that I always know I’ve seen him before, but I have trouble remembering where. But then again, I haven’t seen that many of his films either. He plays a detective who tries to be very human, even though he has a hard time understanding everything that’s going on.

We also see the statuesque Laverne Cox, who is an American actress, singer, and transgender personality. She is known for her role as Sophia Burset in the series Orange Is the New Black. In this film, she plays the second detective leading the investigation. Most of the funniest dialogues are with her, even if Beckinsale remains at the forefront. Her facial expressions make me laugh. She is alternately annoying and hilarious. Her character adds a nice little touch.

And finally, Susan Sarandon, who we’ve come to expect so much more from, finds herself in a very small role. It’s such a shame that she ends up in such bad movies, after impressing us for decades. She also disappointed us by appearing in The Jesus Rolls (2019) (also with Cannavale, by the way!). Yet she remains a cinema legend.

Right! Here’s the story at last:

Lindy suffers from an impulse control disorder: if someone provokes her, she reacts with a direct attack. Lindy’s therapist, Dr. Munchin, has made her an electroshock vest that allows her to control her aggression with a shock trigger. When she meets Justin, her life changes abruptly, because he is not afraid of her and accepts her as she is. But shortly afterwards, Justin is found murdered and Lindy begins to tremble for real. Full of anger and rage, she sets out to find the culprit and take revenge. At the same time, Lindy is on the run from the police, as she is considered the prime suspect in the investigation. During this adrenaline-fueled chase, Lindy finally unleashes her unique potential—much to the chagrin of all the bad guys who get in her way…

Yes, I know, there are quite a few spoilers in my review. It’s a bit like you’ve just seen the whole trailer! But know that it’s because I’m saving you precious time: this movie is not worth seeing!

The humor is sharp, but it gets heavy. The dialogues are nice, but this time, they won’t save this movie. Another good cast for a truly terrible result.

What’s more, there are always those eternal inconsistencies. At first, you get the impression that the heroine is invincible. Then she gets hit from behind, completely naively, even though she’s supposed to be on high alert. So, I’m fine with the character evolving, becoming immune to electric shocks because her anger increases even more, but…

And what about the scene where babies are thrown around? It’s great for a parody or a purely comedic film… but not when it’s taken seriously.

Jolt is purely entertaining and may delight those who swear by action movies.