Revenge action thrillers are one of the most overused genres in Hollywood, and 'The Mother' is another addition to the long list. Jennifer Lopez plays a cold-blooded female assassin, known only as 'The Mother.' She has severed ties with her daughter and remains a distant figure who merely oversees her daughter's well-being. However, when her daughter is kidnapped, she emerges from hiding and risks everything to save her child.
Directed by Nicki Carlo and written by Misha Green, Andrea Berloff, and Peter Craig, the movie is entertaining enough with some spectacular action sequences. However, the cliched plot fails to offer anything new. Adrian Lowell and Hector Alvarez, the antagonists, feel hurriedly written.
'The Mother' is never named in the movie. She is not portrayed as someone who is capable of being gentle and chooses to show her affection by teaching the child how to survive while at least two different parties are vying for her life. While she is not capable of expressing love, 'The Mother' still wants to be part of her daughter's life. There is also no mention of the father of the child.
Although not exactly a ground-breaking film, the acting is generally quite good. The CGI could have been better. The filmmakers didn't attempt to make the mother wolf seem more realistic. Although a frantic mother figure has an exciting emotional draw, barely anything was done to explore the character more.
Despite its flaws, it is entertaining to see the transition of Jennifer Lopez from a rom-com lady to a badass action hero.
Film: The Mother
Director: Nicki Carlo
Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Lucy Paez, Omari Hardwick, Joseph Fiennes, Paul Raci, Gael Garcia Bernal
Rating: 2.5/ 5