A neon-soaked assassin thriller that trades gritty realism for stylized, high-octane action.
In short: In this 2021 action thriller, a professional hitwoman finds herself protecting a young girl after a job goes sideways. Forced to reunite with her estranged mother and a lethal sisterhood of assassins, she battles a powerful criminal empire in a world where weapons are hidden in a library.
Directed by Navot Papushado, Gunpowder Milkshake follows Sam, a 27-year-old assassin working for a shadowy organization known as The Firm. Her life takes a turn when she chooses to save a young girl, Emily, rather than complete a contract. This decision pits her against both her former employers and a vengeful crime lord, Jim McAlister, whose son Sam previously killed. To survive, Sam must rely on her estranged mother, Scarlet, and a trio of librarians who are secretly elite assassins.
The film’s production was a global endeavor, with principal photography occurring in Berlin between June and August 2019. The cast features Karen Gillan as Sam, Lena Headey as Scarlet, and a supporting ensemble including Michelle Yeoh, Angela Bassett, Carla Gugino, and Paul Giamatti. The project was first announced at the American Film Market in 2018, and it eventually premiered on Netflix in the United States on July 14, 2021, alongside a limited theatrical release.
Critical reception was mixed, with the film holding a 60% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 47 out of 100 on Metacritic. Critics noted its neon-infused aesthetic and cartoonish, video-game-like violence, often comparing it to predecessors like Léon: The Professional and the John Wick series. While some reviewers praised the chemistry of the female-led cast, others found the emotional stakes inconsistent. Despite its modest worldwide box office gross of $1,015,760, a sequel is currently in development.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Gunpowder Milkshake
- Also: Wikidata — Gunpowder Milkshake · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Gunpowder Milkshake · CC0
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