Ava

Reviewed by Sunchica Unevska

To “Ava”, Directed by Tate Taylor, Screenplay: Matthew Newton, Starring: Jessica Chastain, John Malkovich, Colin Farrell, Gina Davis, Common, Joan Chen, Diana Silver, USA, 2020

Does happiness depend of the end

The American action drama "Ava" has all the predispositions to bring a new fierce heroine to the big screen, but it fails. It turns out that "Ava" is too big or maybe the wrong bite for a director like Tate Taylor, who made the already cult film "Housewives", and caused a great attention with "The Girl on the Train" as well as "Pretty Ugly People". But, not only just “Ava” is a different genre, but in this film Taylor does not manage to cope so much, that despite the potential she carries inside, she still remains very meagre, and even somehow unfinished.

Maybe it would be different if Taylor participated in the screenplay template, where he previously showed that he has a different sense, but the script in this film is signed by Matthew Newton, who, like Taylor, does not have much experience with action movies. As it has been said, Newton was supposed to direct the film, but due to some problems, Tate Taylor took over the direction. However, there is a mistake somewhere, so this film, despite their previous successes, remains far weaker, confusing, empty and superficial.

Although, as we said, "Ava" is a film that has potential. Why? Because it really brings a different view of the story and a different approach. Ava (Jessica Chastain) is a professional killer, but even though she is one of the best, she never really accepts what she does. At least not as it is expected of her. Her personal and inner struggle influences a lot of her attitude towards her targets, because does not only she question herself, but in all that the meaning is important for her, the meaning of life and death, the need to find justification to take someone life away, the need to believe that it should be so, the urge to find out the reason why those people should die.

Already this could give Ava's character such complexity, such an inner struggle, such ember and enthusiasm, such an ethical dilemma, opportunities for ups and downs, but also for "mistakes", an opportunity for a much greater challenge for the audience, an opportunity to make it all the more intriguing. Something that everyone could find themselves in and try to find their own meaning in what is worth fighting for. Yes, it could ... Ava is not just imagined as a killing machine, she is different, she can somehow reach her targets, she can see them, she can ask the right question by stripping them naked and forcing them to find the answer themselves, because it leaves them no choice anyway. Namely, not that her behavior will change anything, not that she will not commit the given task, but will give her a different flow and will simply "overtake" the death. It will not come suddenly and meaninglessly, no, in it Ava will put up the whole universe because of which she is still alive.

There is also the opportunity for a multitude of characters, for different situations, for a great palette and game, which could be much more drama than action, and yet carry in itself the dynamics, the twist and that extraordinary skill that takes your breath away. But, all that is not used at all, it seems that it is just beginning, and it is already ending, in other words, we switch to Ava's intimate life, which at times is really surprising and causes her pain, but at times it falls into pathetic, in predictability and in some aimless and forced remorse?? Although, the family story itself offers great material, both in terms of her father and mother, and in terms of her sister's marriage, but it all turns out in complete failure, further compounded by the sister's husband's meaningless gambling debts (actually, her former love ???) and the horrible character and role of their boss, otherwise the remarkable Chinese actress Joan Chen.

On the other hand, the film or lets say, the authors, even show some great ambition and they run "Ava" as a thriller, which of course ends without a soul. The film falls especially in the fight between the mentor and his former protégé, and now the boss, the movie also falls in the way the boss, who sent extraordinary killers to get rid of Ava, suddenly comes alone in some totally indistinct clash, which, as much as meaningless in its idea, in its performance, it is even more meaningless in its end.

Somehow, in the end, you get nothing. And you have great actors, like Jessica Chastain and John Malkovic, or Joan Chen and Common, you have good choreography and atmosphere at times, Ava's character is well thoughtful also, both psychologically and physically, bringing a challenge to self-examination, which definitely different from anything we've seen so far. And these are really moments that could have made it completely different. But no, the film is loaded with unnecessary, although very explicit biographies of Ava, loaded with her going to a psychological support group, with family relationships and with anything else, everything is mixed up, full of irrelevant details. What a pity, because Ava, and also the fight between her mentor and boss, could have brought a much more interesting and much more justified action.

Ava is actually a remarkable character, for whom killing is not killing. She is constantly on the edge between life and death, she is where she belongs psychologically, for her death should be justified, that is, "there must be a reason why you must die," as she often tells her targets. Unlike professional killers, Ava is actually more interested in life than in the end. The end is inevitability, but it brings to it everything that defines life. Or, as it is repeated several times in the film, "do not think that a man is happy, until you don’t know his end." And that should be the lever around which the film should build its story. Because, this is not a nude movie about skilled assassins and unknown targets, no, this is a movie which should talk about life, happiness and the end. He should talk about what we deserve, about what we challenge, about the sequence of events that we actually write ourselves.

Ava has the perfect opportunity to explore that game about life and death, but it is not reduced to a simple taking of life, because the assassin carries the need for his own re-examination, so much and so desperately needed, that the consequences are not important. It is important in the death she writes to find the trace by which she can understand things, accept them, or simply go further, looking for answers that, in fact, can never bring peace and contentment. Because, whether you were happy is only seen when you face with the end.