We’ve had great action movies with male assassins so why not with female assassins? Why not a movie about female assassins protecting those less fortunate? And now we have one on Netflix called Gunpowder Milkshake and I believe with a title like that you know it’s going to be an interesting movie. Maybe not an Oscar-worthy movie, but you know it’s going to be fun! And when I finally finished watching Gunpowder Milkshake my first thought was that was a lot of fun and I need to watch it again… so I did. Good action movies are about escapism, you don’t want to have to think too deeply about the plot, you just want to enjoy the action. But great action movies do all that and make you yearn for more so I’m glad that they’re making a sequel because this movie definitely deserves one. Starring Karen Gillan and Lena Headey, this is a movie about a secret organization of female assassins who, after a botched job must protect a little girl. Yes, the plot is as simple as that, and you don’t really need anything more because the action alone speaks for itself and makes this movie worth watching.
So let’s start with the cast. I openly admit that I’m a big fan of Karen Gillan ever since her days on Doctor Who and who doesn’t love Lena Headey, even if you hated her character in Game of Thrones, let’s not forget that she did play Sarah Connor in the TV show The Sarah Connor Chronicles and kicked some major butt. But when you round out the cast with the likes of Angela Bassett, who played one hell of a Tina Turner, Michelle Yeoh, and then Carla Gugino, you just know that you’re going to get a fun movie and all of these actresses are perfect for a shoot’em up action movie., You don’t really need anything more than that for this movie.
The plot is simple, it’s about an assassin who bought you a job and then has the organization she works for come after her while protecting a child. So of course all the female assassins band together and fight back. But sometimes plots don’t need to be complicated to have a fun movie. What I really enjoyed about this movie is the fun ride with all of these great actresses who just kicked but. It’s kind of like watching and ’80s action movie, but with female stars. Karen Gillan is fantastic… then again don’t we already know that after her stint as Nebula and the Marvel movies and Doctor who!
If there’s any true complaints about this movie it, that you don’t get much of a backstory except for the fact that the main character had a mother who ran out on her while she was drinking a milkshake at a diner. I admit, I like backstories, I want to know what really drives characters and what brings them to the main event so to speak in a movie. While it isn’t always necessary, especially in an action movie, I do think it adds a little bit more depth especially if you’re going to do a sequel. But other than that, if you look at this movie is just a fun shoot’em up movie with hot assassins, then I guess you really don’t need that much of a backstory because what entertains us is really just the action itself. We all like watching great gun sequences and fight moves if we’re truly fans of action movies. Isn’t that why we watch the John wick movies? So, Gunpowder Milkshake definitely gives us that.
If you watch this movie and expect some great drama, you’re watching the wrong movie. Gunpowder Milkshake it’s like a good old-fashioned “B” action movie that you can simply escape to. Forget your troubles, forget what else is going on in the world and just be entertained. But put a great female cast in a movie and you’re off to the races when it comes to being entertained watching an action movie. The pacing is good and doesn’t really linger. I thought the film flowed very nicely with all the intimate scenes and action scenes. Sometimes action movies do too many slow-motion scenes and there was only one slow-motion scene that worked really well. All in all, this was a well-put-together action movie that movie fans will probably watch more than once. I would certainly have seen this in the theaters, but it’s perfect for Netflix. It’s perfect to throw up in the background while you’re working, it’s perfect on a Sunday afternoon when you’re just vegging on the couch and need some good entertainment. And if you’re like me, it’s a good date movie on a Friday night over good whiskey and hell, even milkshakes. Karen Gillan has now become my new favorite action star. It may not be a perfect film, but it’s a good one and it’s one hell of a ride! A Gunpowder Milkshake is truly made by its fantastic female cast and I can’t wait for the sequel!
