Amazon continues to pump out original material that would have been right at home in the movie theaters just a couple of years ago. Their latest is called Jolt, and it boasts an impressive cast headlined by Kate Beckinsale.
The film, which debuts on the streaming giant later this month, follows the story of Lindy, a bouncer with a homicidal tic. The film’s title comes from her attempt at self-control; electric shock. Once her friend is murdered, she sets out for revenge, while the cops target her as the prime suspect. Action ensues.
Lindy is a beautiful, sardonically-funny woman with a painful secret: Due to a lifelong, rare neurological disorder, she experiences sporadic rage-filled, murderous impulses that can only be stopped when she shocks herself with a special electrode device. Unable to find love and connection in a world that fears her bizarre condition, she finally trusts a man long enough to fall in love, only to find him murdered the next day. Heartbroken and enraged, she embarks on a revenge-filled mission to find his killer, while also being pursued by the police as the crime’s prime suspect.
After decades of action movies being dominated by male leads, with a handful of famous exceptions (Kill Bill, Aliens, Terminator, Resident Evil), it seems the film industry is finally beginning to level the playing field a bit. Yesterday we talked about The Protégé starring Maggie Q in a similarly styled revenge extravaganza. Now we see Beckinsale, already best known for the Underworld film series where she kicked gothic ass in skin-tight leather, now playing a regularly underestimated bouncer of petite size, fueled by rage.
These examples just add to the plethora of female-led action flicks of recent years – Peppermint, Anna, Red Sparrow, Atomic Blonde, Everly, The Old Guard, Mad Max: Fury Road, Ava, The Hunt, Miss Bala, A Vigilante, and so on. And that doesn’t even include Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, or the newer Star Wars properties. It’s a good time to be a fan of kick-ass women.
Joining Beckinsale is an impressive ensemble of character actors; the dogged detective is played by Bobby Cannavale (Boardwalk Empire), while Stanley Tucci appears to be offering some sort of professional help. And Jai Courtney (The Suicide Squad) appears to be playing the love interest who we are to believe is blown up. Additionally, the film features David Bradley (Game of Thrones), Laverne Cox (Promising Young Woman), and the legendary Oscar-Winner, Susan Sarandon.
Behind the camera is director Tanya Wexler (Buffaloed), working with a screenplay by Scott Wascha and shot by DoP Jules O’Loughlin (The Hitman’s Bodyguard).
Jolt is scheduled to be released on July 23, 2021, by Amazon Prime Video.
Images: Amazon Prime
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