Another threat of a doomsday virus built to wipe out all internet communications, thereby throwing the world into chaos and darkness? I hope this thing is not real but movies like Fast & Furious and now, Canary Black (2024) hint at its existence and this gives me some concern.
Still, it doesn't take away the thrill of seeing Kate Beckinsale in action again after recently watching Jolt (2021). In my opinion, no one does spy thrillers better than female leads except of course, Tom Cruise and Gerard Butler.
Avery Graves (played by Kate Beckinsale) is a CIA agent who separates her work life from her personal life. She's tough and ruthless at her job while her husband is always home, looks gentle and does the cooking. Then he is kidnapped by an unknown group and she's tasked with getting a classified file called Canary Black from a prisoner in CIA custody.
As Avery becomes entangled in the blackmail scheme to save her husband, many twists and turns unfold. She burns some bridges along the way only to realise that her bosses and the CIA cannot be trusted—the Canary Black is not what it's said to be. It's a ticking bomb waiting to explode and drown the world in destruction.
Avery knows her loyalty is no longer only to her husband but to saving the entire world. Can this lone wolf stop the doomsday strike weapon from going live and starting a global cyber warfare?
Review
This spy thriller blends elements and storylines from other thrillers like Mission Impossible, Atomic Blonde therefore making its plot not so original. Meaning once you’re about ten minutes into this film, you can already tell where the story is headed and likely how it will end. This casts a bit of shadow over the viewing experience but the lead, Kate Beckinsale, glows in action and makes you overlook this downside!
We built Canary Black as a preemptive first strike weapon to counter the increasing threat of cyber warfare. It's a digital nuke in the cyber arms race. It's the highest level clearance.
That's one big twist in this film that shocks not only Avery but also the audience. We live in the advanced tech era, should we be worried? But trust Kate Beckinsale to handle the situation.
I admire her in action thrillers and she didn't disappoint in this one. Directed by Pierre Morel, the man responsible for Taken, another fine spy thriller, the fight scenes, car chase, and shoot-outs in this film are amazing to watch.
The opening scene where Kate Beckinsale wears a blond wig and breaks into an office building in Japan reminds me of Atomic Blonde and I loved it. In the Underworld series, she maintained a stoic facade all through but in this one, she lets her emotions show. Her character is tough but capable of love and other emotions.
Though the plot and storytelling is kind of generic, it’s still entertaining due to the action sequences, good pacing and brisk runtime. There's no dull moment in all the scenes. Kate Beckinsale held her own as a renowned actress and so did her fellow actors like Ray Stevenson and Rupert Friend.
The cinematography is good and I think there's the likelihood of a sequel. If so, I'm all for it and will gladly watch when it's released.
Overall, Canary Black is an action-packed spy thriller that will make a decent weekend watch. The lead actress shows that even in her fifties, she has many strong years left in her career. Also, the twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat. I give it 3 stars out of 5.
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Other images are screenshots from the movie
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