Gunpowder Milkshake (2021) User Reviews

Not as tasty as it sounds.

[BA_Harrison · 5/10 · 1 August 2021]

Like its title, Gunpowder Milkshake comprises of two ingredients: OTT girl-power action and calculated coolness. The problem is that writer/director Navot Papushado only gives us a single scoop of each, and doesn't blend them together very well. A double-scoop of crazy action (actually, make that three scoops, heaped), thoroughly whisked together with several scoops of innovative style, and the results would have been much more tasty.

Papushado borrows from action cinema old and new: assassin Sam's fashion sense is Meiko Kaji, circa Female Prisoner Scorpion (wide brimmed hat worn at an angle and long black coat), the action scenes are inspired by the likes of Tarantino and Woo, the music is pure Spaghetti Western, and the neon lighting is very John Wick (as is the story). Unfortunately, Papushado fails to stamp his own mark on the film, content to mimic others, delivering an unsatisfying pastiche rather than something new and bold to genuinely tantalise one's cinematic tastebuds.

To be fair, a couple of scenes bristle with potential, but the choreography and execution let them down: Sam (Karen Gillan) dealing with several bad guys despite her arms being paralysed is a neat idea, but her enemies are far too cartoonish and spoil the effect; eight year old Emily (Chloe Coleman) steering Sam's Porsche during a chase scene is lacking in edge-of-the-seat thrills; a library makes for a great setting for a shoot-out, but the actual gun-play is disappointing (Carla Gugino firing a mini-gun is all too brief and the damage minimal); and a single-shot, linear tracking, slow-motion fight in a diner is technically impressive but quite dull to watch (with too much CGI blood) .

Don't get me wrong - as a mindless piece of action fluff, this is entertaining enough for a one-time watch - and I've always got time for Gillan (even if she doesn't quite suit the role of bad-ass assassin), but I feel like the film falls short of being the delicious, thick, creamy, full-fat treat it should be (especially given the excellent cast, which also includes Angela Bassett, Lena Headey, Paul Giamatti and kung fu legend Michelle Yeoh).

And, yes, there is a character sporting an eye patch.

5.5/10, generously rounded up to 6 for IMDb.

Don't overthink it

[myriahtrothg · 7/10 · 14 July 2021]

People like to overthink the quality of movies and they end up ignoring if they enjoyed it. I liked it. It was fun, slick, clever and obviously had a female John Wick flavor to it. But that's not a bad thing. It could have used better, more memorable villains and a stronger, more creative plot. Also, why is it always Russians? But other than that I enjoyed it. That's good enough for me.

Takes a major talent

[A_Different_Drummer · 5/10 · 15 July 2021]

To ruin a film with such a strong cast, but this proves that a really bad script and clueless direction can do it. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

John Wick Rip Off, but sort of fun

[fischer_patrick · 6/10 · 20 January 2022]

The film gets no points for originality as it's John Wick with girls. That being said, if you like action movies, it's pretty fun. Karen Gillan was good. Not a great movie, but I'll definitely tune in for the sequel. Worth a watch if you are a fan of the genre.

Brainless fun and that's what I loved about it

[jakethesnake-42007 · 7/10 · 24 July 2021]

Ok is this movie great no it's not but if you turn your mind off and just go with it it's a lot of fun.

Why so much negativity? This was a banger!

[brentage5000 · 8/10 · 15 July 2021]

Ignore all the negative reviews on here. This film is exactly what it says on the tin -- essentially, a female John Wick -- and it owns that. The dialogue is snappy, the performances are winking, the actors are having fun, and it's generally just a good time. If you enjoyed Keanu Reeves checking into a hotel with an infinite amount of magic coins and using all sorts of code words for guns to avenge his dog, you can handle Karen Gillan doing the same with classic works of literature to protect a little girl.

Loved it!

[xconwombats · 6/10 · 5 February 2022]

Great movie! Definitely recommend. It's fast-paced and enthralling. Amazing cast! And it's also really funny. One of the best movies i saw in 2021.

Thoroughly enjoyed it!

All style, zero substance

[ravencorinncarluk · 4/10 · 15 July 2021]

I really liked the cast, though I disliked how the director had Karen Gillan tying to be too deadpan and badass in the first act. It made her seem like a poor actress, but I've seen too much of her so I know it wasn't her fault.

The movie has a neat aesthetic, but it really borrowed far too much from previous movies in a similar genre. There was some John Wick, Shoot 'Em Up, Desperado, The Professional, Kill Bill, and more. The three Librarians even reminded me of the ladies from A Wrinkle In Time.

The hodgepodge story also meant that the tone varied. Far too many scenes that would have been fine in an actual comedy, but then the movie would whiplash back to the borderline drama-action.

I don't totally hate it, but there were some lines at the end that just stuck in my craw as unnecessary. Like some producer somewhere said "Oh yeah, we need to make sure people understand this is about smashing the patriarchy." Didn't actually lower the score, but it rankled after the somewhat mess of a movie had concluded.

Worth a watch once so long as you go in knowing that it will remind you of all the other movies like this.

Stylish Fun

[Neon_Gold · 8/10 · 3 January 2022]

I think this was probably the most "fun" Iv had watching a movie in a while. It was just like a pure popcorn movie but done really well.

It was stylish and the filmmakers obviously took time and cared about it. It wasn't just like "huge fight" scenes. They thought about shots, sets, lighting and it made the difference.

I didn't love some of the characters at the start because it felt a little too "cartoon" like for me. But they didn't last long and then the movie found it's footing more and eased up on the cheese.

I would also say to make this movie even better, make it 1 hour 30. I think that would have made it flow even better.

Action-Packed, Neon-Filled, Cartoonish Bloodfest

[tmasterino · 7/10 · 14 July 2021]

Gunpowder Milkshake is not a movie for the thinkers. It's not a movie that will make you leave the theatre reflecting on what you just saw. The story isn't inventive or impactful, the characters aren't particularly interesting and the dialogue is generic. Or... to put it simply: the writing does not standout... at all.

However, if you know how to manage your expectations, you will have an absolute blast, because the movie gives us everything we could have wanted from an action-thriller. It's stylish, beautiful, action-packed, violent and incredibly fun.

Director Navot Papushado and cinematographer Michael Seresin transform a generic script into a neon-filled blast, making smart uses of lighting, music, production design, make-up and color grading, creating the perfect atmosphere for such a videogamish movie. Scenarios such as the bowling alley and the library are also captivating, giving place to entertaining, expertly-choreographed, hyper-violent, creative action sequences... that unfortunately get worse as the movie progresses, but are pretty fun nonetheless.

In conclusion, Gunpowder Milkshake isn't to be taken seriously. It's fun, simple, violent, captivating and you will wish for more. It's contrivances will certainly affect the more demanding watchers, but if you take the movie as seriously as the movie takes itself, you will have a great time at the theatre.

Highly enjoyable action movie...

[paul_haakonsen · 7/10 · 23 July 2021]

Well, I must admit that I was having a bit of expectations to the 2021 movie with the odd title "Gunpowder Milkshake". Why? Well, simply given those that were on the cast list.

I must say that I was definitely loving the movie's cover/poster, because it have that retro-feel to it. And that certainly helped sell the movie to me.

"Gunpowder Milkshake" is a great action movie, so thumbs up to writers Navot Papushado and Ehud Lavski for that accomplishment. And it was good entertainment from start to end.

The storyline is good and well-written, offering a heap of action to the viewers, as well as some fair enough character development and character interactions thrown in between the action scenes. So I was definitely more than adequately entertained.

Visually then "Gunpowder Milkshake" was just a blast. The fight scenes were well-choreographed and equally well executed on the screen. It was definitely a joy to watch those action scenes.

And of course it should be noted that "Gunpowder Milkshake" had a fantastic ensemble of actors and actresses to portray the character and bring the story to life on the screen. With the likes of Angela Bassett, Michelle Yeoh, Carla Gugino, Lena Headey and Paul Giamatti, you know it's bound to be good. And I must admit that while I wasn't particularly familiar with lead actress Karen Gillan, then I will say that she definitely carried the movie quite well.

"Gunpowder Milkshake" is a great action movie, kept very much in the spirit of the 1990s action movies, especially those from Hong Kong. But yet, there was something cinema noir about the way the movie was filmed and the cinematography, which surely added a unique touch to the overall feel of it all.

I was very entertained by director Navot Papushado's 2021 movie. My rating of "Gunpowder Milkshake" lands on a seven out of ten stars.

Very fun and hilarious with good fight choreography and cinematography

[SkyWater8 · 7/10 · 17 August 2022]

This movie doesn't really seek to reinvent the wheel, but it does what a movie like this should do, and does it well. The main pair of performances are very good.

And most importantly, the fight choreography and cinematography is very clever and entertaining. Longer takes, and wider angles mean we can actually see and appreciate the choreography. The visuals are very beautiful, with the colours just popping out the screen.

Altogether a good movie.

Just a very badly made movie :(

[rsvp321 · 15 July 2021]

I have enjoyed *every one* of these actresses in past performances, and I was so looking forward to some outstanding entertainment, but this was awful!

Bad directing, bad dialog, bad script, lame attempt at comedy, unoriginal ideas heavily "borrowed " from John Wick plots, and Tarantino style which is the worst of it.

Awful!

Lots of fun I'm surprised this wasn't better received

[UniqueParticle · 9/10 · 5 October 2021]

Gunpowder Milkshake is beautiful, I crave the amazing cinematography and to top it off the action is awesomeness! Girl power movies are usually so damn good I'd say 65% of the time. The music is god tier throughout I really like it! Karen Gillian is perfect as a professional killer. I don't use Netflix as much as most but I wish I saw this sooner.

A Pleasant Surprise

[helmholtzwatsonaplus · 7/10 · 15 July 2021]

Despite the cast, I went into this with fairly low expectations based on the trailer. I was pleasantly surprised in many ways. The acting was good. The plot was simple but unpretentious. The John Wick comparisons are unavoidable and it falls short of Wick in terms of intensity and choreography but it isn't trying to be the same. It's like a lighter, more self aware Wick with hope in place of despair. The violence is highly stylized which isn't something I'm always a fan of but they make it work well. I definitely recommend this movie, especially if you're a fan of any of the amazing cast members.

I had a bad time

[Aria_Athena · 3/10 · 15 July 2021]

I rarely have a bad time watching a movie, usually the worst case scenario is me being bored. This one rubbed me the wrong way.

One of the first scenes is 15 years in the past, where young Karen Gillan and her mother are sitting in a diner, cheesy music playing on the background, sharing a milkshake, both having a straw in their mouth while staring deep into each other's eyes, yet not drinking. This indicates that it's not the milkshake they enjoy, but the ritual itself and company of one another. Or perhaps it's in the actresses contracts that they don't have to consume any sugary products, I don't know. At least someone came along and took a sip between shots. I don't know why this bothered me so much.

As for the movie itself, I don't have much to say. I found it meaningless. It's decently shot, but the action is mediocre, Karen Gillan's deadpan performance was fine, but the rest of the cast was pretty bad. I don't blame the actresses though, I blame the script.

I think it tried to be a metaphor for a male dominated world in which women have to fight for change. They pointed out twice that The Firm consists only of men. "There is a group of men called The Firm. They've been running things for a long, long time. They make all the rules and change them when it fits their needs. They think they are untouchable and can get away with anything, but they wont". The thing is, the main character is an assassin working for The Firm and she ends up killing the son of the leader of another organisation. Then she takes another job, she disobeys orders knowing very well the consequences and on top of that she also messes up. She loses the protection of The Firm and now the other organisation is out to get her. They are the main antagonists, not The Firm. So what was the point? Whatever they were going for doesn't work on any level.

Let's just say the Librarians wouldn't recommend her Tolstoy, would they now.

Don't shoot I'm only 8 and 3/4s

[theshiptons · 8/10 · 31 July 2021]

In this age of movies with strong female roles this was well constructed as an action movie with well developed characters that you can root for. The plot was ok if not predictable. There is a lot of blood and gore kills so not one for the kiddies. This is weird as there is not a if any swearing in this film. My only issue is that of the interplay between the mother and her adult child is very stilted and slows down the pace of the movie. Come on we don't need a pause to catch our breaths here, get on with the murdering gals.

Ps the blokes will like this film as well.

A montage of 20 years of action movie trailers, devoid of life.

[lu_lou_belle · 1/10 · 23 July 2021]

Michelle Yeoh, Lena Hedley, Paul Giamatti, Angela Bassett and other talent wasted. Not sure which bold assassin with a heart of gold movie this is supposed to be ripping off but there's a little Kill Bill a little John Wick, and so so many video games. My attention began to wander after 5 minutes. Editing of action sequences leaves alot to be desired, as does incoherent script, set design and directing. Actors do spend alot of time standing around and sneering between action sequences, except for Carla Gugino who is pleasantly adrift on painkillers and a little ecstasy, Mona Lisa smiling through it all. Once again, another script that misuses dialog to explain and describe plot as it happens, rather than embue it with life-always an indicator of incompetence. I think they might have recycled the library set from the beginning of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen toward what feels like the end but isn;t. You will not notice since you will probably be asleep. The waste of Angela Bassett is particularly frustrating. I can't remember ever seeing her in a film where she didn't light up the screen, even in genres that I dislike. Film is too long by at least 45 minutes, and is rotten as a women centered film, proving once again if you're going to perform in a traditionally man's genre exceptionally wonderful is your minimum standard. The producers and director let these vibrant actors down. Well its july 2021, covid delta is running rampant so finding quality on the netflix is a bit of a challenge. I wonder what Criterion has going on... I have composed this review with as much care as this movie's makers crafted their work.

A waste of an absolutely stellar cast.

[GrantKanigan · 15 July 2021]

This movie had so much promise - gritty thrills, a murderers row of acting giants, a likeable, talented lead and a stylized feel. One look at the trailer and you feel like it's a hyper-violent Mother/Daughter version of John Wick.

Not so. This film is an absolute mess. The dialogue sounds like someone doing a terrible knockoff of Tarantino if they only had 100 words in their vocabulary. The shots are too long - the editing is nonexistent; sometimes shots seem out of focus for artistic effect; other times it's like they forgot to edit shots out. Take out the overlong shots and slow motion and the film would likely be an hour long. The characters don't make sense, the story has no logic.

The worst part of the film is the wasted talent. Bassett, Headey, Giamatti, and Yeoh are masters of their craft, Gugino, as always, is a delight, and Gillian is an unparalleled talent - she's done great work in comedy and in some huge franchises. This is a killer cast, and they are absolutely wasted. It feels like some takes are the first and only takes, (Michelle Yeoh, who is an icon, is terrible in this and I guarantee you it's because the director had no clue on how to direct her).

On top of all of this, is a slow, plodding pace and suprisingly poor fight choreography. The greatest sin of all? It's dreadfully boring. Director Papushado should rethink his career, because this had all the makings of a hit, and turns out to be a completely inept, utter misfire, made worse by wasting the talents of its cast.

Like "Shoot em up"

[Idle_Hands08 · 6/10 · 20 January 2022]

If you liked "shoot 'em up" for 2005... It's like a sequel... It just has the added Assassin Organisation trope to go with it... Enjoy the action, comedy and simple storyline...!

Mindless Action

[b1gm0nk3y · 7/10 · 29 September 2021]

There is not too much to say here. It's a extremely fun, interesting, girl-power fueled action movie. The characters are all awesome in their own right, the story is intriguing and entertaining, and the ending is a satisfactory one. I don't normally watch action movies, but I would recommend this one.

Derivative but stylized visuals

[witra_as · 7/10 · 19 June 2022]

Derivative action thriller that cribs from all sorts of similar movies. Navot Papushado successfully staged a series of fluid, violent, stylized visuals to keep us interested. Gillan and all these women could be your favorite badass female protagonist.

Gunpowder Milkshake

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 1 August 2021]

Gunpowder Milkshake tries too hard to be a stylised female John Wick. It needed more inspiration instead of ripping off Hong Kong action movies.

It also lacks the heavy duty gunfire of John Wick and the playfulness of Keanu Reeves.

Sam (Karen Gillan) was abandoned by her hitwoman mother Scarlet (Lena Headey) some years earlier.

The older Sam has followed in her mother's footstep by becoming an assassin for her boss Nathan (Paul Giamatti.)

When a job goes wrong. Sam needs to look after a little girl and get help from three women who were her mother's comrades called the librarians

There are some nice touches such as the diner shootout. However the story is thin, the movie overlong and Michelle Yeoh is the real standout when it comes to action.

Brilliant creative loved it

[beverleymilun · 10/10 · 18 January 2022]

I'm not easily impressed and I don't finish movies that waste my time and this was the most unexpected blow-away surprise after surprise and I absolutely loved it.

The genius of the satire was unmistakable, excellently written. Choreography was definitely of the John Wick class and poetry to watch unfold. Great cast, portrayals excellent.

V for Vendetta...

[Xstal · 5/10 · 2 February 2022]

Plundering a variety of genres and copying who knows how many forefathers, the traditional roles reversed but the plot as thin as skimmed, leaves a sour taste of disaffection and inequality.