Jolt (2021) User Reviews

Less Extreme Female Led Version of Crank

[wiseguyro · 6/10 · 23 July 2021]

I had to bring up Crank because the similarities are definitely intentional: this is an R rated, single syllable titled, hyper violent, potty mouthed action movie with an English lead. Though it would have served it better to really go for the extremes the same way Crank did.

It's entertaining enough, with a script that had some fun ideas and turns, but most of the good stuff was underdeveloped. Probably would have fared better with a better director. Still, the cast is good(always fun to see Stanley Tucci) and the action is decent.

For the less than 90 minute runtime, this is a pretty enjoyable waste of time.

She's beautiful but the movie is meh

[drewisamus · 5/10 · 25 July 2021]

It's worth watching if you're a fan of Kate because she's beautiful in this film. The film itself is just ok.

Jolt: Stylish but generic

[Platypuschow · 6/10 · 19 February 2024]

Plot

A bouncer with a slightly murderous anger-management problem that she controls with the help of an electrode-lined vest she uses to shock herself back to normalcy whenever she gets homicidal.

Cast

Kate Beckinsale leads, Jai Courtney supports....ish, Bobby Cannavale stars, Stanley Tucci is wasted, David Bradley shines and Susan Sarandon is there as well for some unknown reason.

Verdict

Kate Beckinsale channels her inner (And outer) Charlize Theron and delivers a fast paced action movie which oozes style and offers an interesting premise. But does it deliver? No, not really.

Now let me put it out there, I don't like action flicks for the most part. I like substance and action movies rarely offer that, for me to enjoy one it needs to paint outside the lines and bring something different than the others. Gun battles, fist fights, car chases and explosions? We've seen them before, literally thousands of times. Give us something new.

Jolt provides a new concept I'll give it that, in fact I kinda liked it and Beckinsale took it and ran with it the best she could. It got my attention early and I was excited to see the direction it was going to go, alas it starts strong then staggers its way into generic Hollywood action territory and my attention was lost.

Jolt in someone else's hands could have been good, as it is sadly is a disappointing middle of the road action flick.

Rants

There's been an influx in female lead action films lately and unsurprisingly the misogyny has been rife as a result. Me, I welcome it however on the very same terms as a male lead. Namely, it needs to be believable and often they're simply not. I can't take Tom Cruise seriously as an action hero anymore than I could Paul Reubens! Alas when it comes to girls the same problem can rear its head, if they look absurd during action scenes then it flatlines the whole film. I don't care if the hero is male or female, just make me believe they're capable of the feats they're pulling off!

Breakdown

Beckinsale is on point Great concept Stylish Kind of fizzles out half way through Wastes a lot of its cast Relies on a lot of tired tropes.

Watch it, you might be entertained, as a dark comedy with lots of action.

[TxMike · 23 July 2021]

It is very puzzling that there are a number of very negative reviews with "1" or "2" ratings. I suspect those didn't even watch this movie. Look at the distribution of ratings, most are in the "5", "6" and "7" categories. It definitely is not a "1" or a "2".

Beckinsale is great as the young woman who battles with impulse control, and with her great strength and speed can wreak lots of havoc if she is so inclined. She uses a self-administered shock ("jolt") to keep herself from following through when something agitates her. Most of the time. It should not be taken any more seriously than an action comic book, not everything has to be plausible. Plus there is an interesting thread of a story there. Did you know in war they taught dogs to go towards enemy tanks, with a bomb strapped to them?

But it is mostly hilarious with inventive situations and inventive dialog. But caution, the language is often really hard-R rated. It isn't a great movie but as fun entertainment it definitely hits the spot if you are in the right mood

My wife and I both enjoyed it, on Amazon streaming movies.

Entertaining enough if one doesn't put much thought into it

[mega0013 · 6/10 · 29 July 2021]

It's a semi-dark, action comedy with an incredibly sexy leading actress. So wtf do the uptight prudes who dissed this film expect? If you're going to give this film a go do it with an open mind, without expectations, and it might keep you pleasantly occupied for 90 minutes or so.

Kate Beckinsale

[nowego · 6/10 · 23 July 2021]

If you liked her in Underworld you will like her it Jolt, simple as that. If you didn't, avoid this, you won't like it.

She basically is just the same in this as in all her Underworld movies and I loved her in all of those. There is not much of a story and it really is a bit farcical, but I was entertained and enjoyed it just for Kate. The addition of Stanley Tucci is a real bonus, he never disappoints. Jai Courtney is OK, but not being a big fan of his, I never really rate him in a movie, this is no exception. Gotta love Bobby Cannavale, he is always fun.

So the end result is, if you like Kate Beckinsale, you will like this, forget all the negative reviews, just enjoy a bit of nonsensical fun.

5.5/10 for me, rated it a 6 as there is no half way.

Jolt into another movie

[zgedarkknight · 3/10 · 23 July 2021]

I thought the trailer for this movie was so cool and had to give the movie a shot. The premise is interesting in theory and I think they could have made something of it but this is not it.

I felt absolutely zero connection with any of the characters and there was such minimal character development and storyline that I struggled to even watch half of the movie. I hate writing a review with a rating this low but I urge you to save the precious time that is your and spend that time watching something better.

Loved it

[delores052 · 7/10 · 29 July 2021]

Laughed out loud at some of her triggers. I found this movie to be highly entertaining with KB at her best in action scenes. She was awesome.

This Ain't It

[deshan-78580 · 4/10 · 23 July 2021]

Jolt tries pretty hard to be Crank, Atomic Blonde, and John Wick, but it ends up falling short in most key areas such as poor directing and writing, a plot that could've been quite interesting but ended up being a overcomplicated mess, action scenes ruined by weak choreography and too much quick-edits, and mediocre performances.

There are a few redeeming qualities though such as decent cinematography, some cool music, fast pacing, and a pretty good cast lineup.

Overall, this was just another bland, generic, and overall forgettable action flick, and I wouldn't really recommend it unless you just wanna burn off 91 minutes of your time & got nothing better to do.

Summer Fun

[Dusty1291 · 7/10 · 23 July 2021]

An enjoyable summer movie. Some really funny dialogue and Kate Beckinsale was fun to watch. That character was not far off from the self she has portrayed on social media, Foul mouth and all.

jolt peters out

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 4 August 2021]

Lindy (Kate Beckinsale) has anger issues since childhood. She was institutionalized but nothing helped except an experimental treatment from Dr. Munchin (Stanley Tucci). She self-induces electrical shocks to her body whenever she has murderous thoughts. It's a lonely existence until she starts dating nice accountant Justin. When he's murdered, she seeks revenge while police detectives Vicars (Bobby Cannavale) and Nevin (Laverne Cox) investigate.

The idea is interesting but it starts to wear thin sooner than expected. The first part's issue is that it gets repetitive. She has murderous vision, she gets a jolt, and the scene resets to normal. It happens over and over again. Once the premise is stated, the whole series of cinematic moves is not needed. The comedy needs to be better and I'm not sure that Kate Beckinsale can deliver it. She can definitely deliver the cool but she struggles to lead in this one. I like the start but the movie peters out over time.

Mindless funny entertainment, just sit back and enjoy the ride.

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 8/10 · 23 July 2021]

Firstly, as I commented on Kate Beckinsale's Instagram, does this girl ever age? At 47, she still looks like a 25 year old, and hot af especially in this film, of which was a great unique concept for the traditional "revenge against the rich evil villain" story. It was very entertaining and well written, especially as the first ever writing credit by Scott Wascha. It was an easy (albeit predictable) story with awesome violent action and fight choreography, with some great laughs thrown in, and some unexpected twists. It was paced perfectly for its 91 min runtime.

Novice director Tanya Wexler did a might fine job with her directing. The cinematography was outstanding and the score on point. It's always a pleasure to see Stanley Tucci and Bobby Cannavale. My only complaint is that Laverne Cox should have had much more comedic dialogue, especially during the baby tossing scene (never seen that one before lmao, kudos to Wascha). And of course the lovely Miss Beckinsale did what she does best; kick ass and look gorgeous doing it.

While the film could've used a little more "jolt", it's still a great Sunday couch and popcorn flick that will entertain nevertheless. You can tell the filmmakers and cast all had fun making Jolt. I feel the critics went a little too hard on this one; I feel it's well deserving of my 8/10, and I'll have no problem watching it again with friends. Looking forward to Part 2.

Fun, silly, likeable.

[nick-51803 · 7/10 · 24 July 2021]

Not exactly high art but enjoyable and doesn't take itself seriously.

Silly but a lot of fun

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 24 July 2021]

Lindy has severe anger management issues. She suffers from intermittent explosive disorder; this means anybody who irritates her is likely to experience her murderous rage. Various people have tried to help her or at least channel her rage to their purposes with no success. Finally she finds a psychiatrist who gives her a vest that is wired so she can give herself an electric shock if she feels she is about to lose control. The condition makes it almost impossible to form relationships but one day she meets a man, Justin the accountant, who she doesn't feel urged to hurt... he might even be 'the one'. Unfortunately he ends up dead in a dumpster with two bullets in his head. Lindy is unimpressed with the police response so decides to track down the killer herself... for once her propensity for violence might serve her rather than ruin her life.

If you are looking for realism or something vaguely sensible then this probably isn't the film for you; if on the other hand you plenty of solid action and just enough plot to justify it this is well worth watching. There is plenty of action from start to finish; this mostly means fighting but there is also an entertaining car chase, a couple of explosions and an amusing chase through a hospital. Kate Beckinsale impresses as Lindy; we know a woman her size couldn't beat up the large men she has to fight but if you can suspend ones disbelief it doesn't seem too silly... she can certainly pull off the moves in the well choreographed fight scenes. Bobby Cannavale and Laverne Cox as Detective Vicars and Detective Nevin are solid; I know some viewers weren't keen on having a trans cop but I thought she was a fun character. Tanya Wexler did a fine job directing. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to anybody wanting ninety minutes of action and nothing too serious.

Really great fun

[duncan-beagley · 7/10 · 24 July 2021]

Snappy, funny, good performances and a good revenge-led storyline. Kate Beckinsale and Stanley Tucci scenes are cracking, there are several laugh out loud moments and Lindy feels like a super positive feminist hero: the geezers in this film are saps and villains; she's knowing and pure class. Don't understand the bad reviews. Really good fun.

Terrible action movie

[kelvynchin · 4/10 · 26 July 2021]

Kate Beckinsale, star of the popular Underworld series of movies, has come up firing blanks in this one, a sorta female version of the Jason Statham actioner, Crank. With a plot and effects reminiscent of an 80s TV movie, and a dreadful script and dire performances from everyone involved, Jolt is unremittingly awful from start to finish. And the one deadly fault for movies such as these - it's boring and there's not enough action, and whatever action sequences they are are poorly executed. We understand Becky needs a new action franchise, but this isn't it. Skip this one.

Not as bad as others say; could have been better!

[gregschick · 6/10 · 29 July 2021]

There is no way this is as bad as a 1, 2, or 3 as others have said. It is "decent" at its worse (meaning watchable), if you are willing to put up with a lot of standard problems that a TON of action movies have in them. It is an over-the-top action movie with a fairly new twist (giving the movie its name). A better script would have made this so much better though!

Semi-spoiler but not really: I was able to look past many of the "problems" mentioned above and decided with its tongue firmly in place, its campiness made it an acceptable romp in the action genre. The motivation behind the twist in the end was a stupid trope and really disappointing...

fun popcorn film

[iamjamalwhite · 7/10 · 29 July 2021]

Underworld star does a sci-fi about a killer with rage issues. The female cop was the weak link in the chain, laughably bad acting. Overall fun but forgettable movie with plenty of blood for everyone!

Shockless action, thin plot, and waste of a great cast.

[cruise01 · 4/10 · 14 October 2021]

2 out of 5 stars.

Jolt is a bad action comedy film. Lacks the humor and comedic moments. Filled with cheesy direction that tries to keep the energy electric pacing. Plot about a girl Lindy (Kate Beckinsale) who has an impulse rage control which she uses an electric device to keep her anger down. When she finds a guy she may love. And something happens. She goes on a revenge spree to find the bad guys responsible.

Plot is thin. And forgettable. A twist that may be predictable and lacks the surprises. Except for a fun surprise cameo of who shows up at the end.

The action sequences are forgettable. And dull fight scenes with a fast editing scenes put together. Boring music score and dull direction.

Kate Beckinsale is great but her talent is wasted in this action role.

It's not a blockbuster hit, but it is amusing

[hodgesjaym · 8/10 · 27 July 2021]

I am thinking that those giving this movie such poor reviews are those that are comparing this to the likes of a Marvel movie, or a Fast & Furious movie. Yeah, its not the best movie ever, but I can think of a lot more ways to spend an hour and a half. Start watching to be entertained and not to compare it to other big screen movies and you will enjoy.

Goofy Mess

[Johnny_West · 1/10 · 29 July 2021]

Girl meets guy and has a one-night stand. Next day she finds out he died, and dedicates her life to finding the killer. Totally ridiculous story. The guy is played by Jai Courtney who is not such a hot or amazing motivation.

So the endless march for answers leads to dozens of goofy fight scenes where you can see that people are punching and kicking each other but clearly missing by six inches or more. The fighting looks like it is the 1960s Batman TV series. The only thing missing was "POW" and "KABAM" during the fight scenes.

The predictable and totally lame story has a very predictable shocking twist ending which just adds to the overall limpness.

Quite entertaining...

[paul_haakonsen · 6/10 · 10 October 2021]

Well, this was actually a nice surprise of a movie.

When I sat down to watch the 2021 Amazon original movie titled "Jolt", I wasn't really sure what I was getting myself into. I hadn't heard about the movie prior to sitting down to watch it. But with it being a movie that I hadn't already seen, and it having Kate Beckinsale on the cast list, of course I had to watch it.

As it turned out then writer Scott Wascha actually managed to put together a wholesome storyline and plot that made for an entertaining movie. Sort of if you think "Crank 2" but with a twist, then you have "Jolt".

I was genuinely entertained by what director Tanya Wexler managed to do with Scott Wascha's script. The movie was fast paced, had an interesting concept and interesting characters, and it was actually good old fun from start to end.

It was nice to see Kate Beckinsale in a role as she played in "Jolt", and she was nicely cast for the movie. But the movie also have some interesting casted performers, such as Stanley Tucci, Bobby Cannavale, Susan Sarandon and David Bradley on the cast list.

If you enjoy a fast paced action thriller, where you just lean back, munch on the snacks while enjoying a fast paced ride, then "Jolt" is definitely a movie well-worth watching.

My rating of "Jolt" lands on a six out of ten stars.

Kate Beckinsale

[MovieColic · 7/10 · 23 July 2021]

Moive worth is 5 but I love Kate Beckinsale thats why 7.

not bhed

[ollivernick · 3/10 · 23 July 2021]

This had so much potential, kate is probably the hotest actress in the world but it lacked direction, action and acting seemed to be bgrade and the story line was interesting but they rushed through it and she ended up in situations where i was like wait how. Editing was all over the place. Good idea but very bad directing.

Ignore bad reviews

[gj50 · 7/10 · 1 June 2022]

So good just go with the flow and enjoy a movie that is just entertaining wth no messages how original. Take a chance and go against the naysayers reviews.