Red Sonjastuns asthe barbarian heroine gets a thrilling sword-and-sorcery adaptationthat’s much better than expected. Italian actress Matilda Lutz (Revenge) dominates the screen with an intense physical performance that’s matched with subtlety and grace. Director M.J. Bassett and screenwriter Tasha Huo get top marks for crafting a rich narrative that deftly weaves together comic book lore with thoughtful themes. To be clear, there’s no lack of bloodshed and violence here. But it’s not gratuitous, and serves the story.
Set in the ancient world of creator Robert E. Howard’s Hyborian Age, young Sonja (Sofia Weldon) enjoys a peaceful life with her Hyrkanian tribe deep in a lush forest. That safety is brutally shattered by the vicious army of a ruthless tyrant. Sofia watches as her beloved mother (Veronica Ferres) dies before running away from the slaughter, left alone in the woods with nature as her only companion.
Enslaved by an evil tyrant who wishes to destroy her people, barbarian huntress Red Sonja must unite a group of unlikely warriors to face off against Dragan The Magnificent and his deadly bride, Dark Annisia.
A Phenomenal Reboot
Years later, the adult Sonja (Lutz) travels with her faithful horse in a desperate search to find the remnants of her people. Along the way, she comes across slaughtered creatures and vows vengeance against those who committed such a heinous crime. Sonja then tracks them to a remote fort where other animals are being gathered forEmperor Draygan’s (Robert Sheehan) gladiator games.
However, Sonja’s efforts are thwarted by Draygan’s cruel, white-haired wife Annisia (Wallis Day). Draygan, who rules mercilessly through powerful machines and new technology, is impressed with Sonja’s courage, and intrigued by her rudimentary map of the Hyrkanian forest. Draygan is hellbent on finding a missing artifact that he believes will lead to conquering every remaining tribe. Sonja is then captured and forced to fight in Draygan’s arena, but he radically underestimates her strength, cunning and conviction.
Huo, primarily known as thewriter and showrunner for Netflix’s animatedTomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, gives Sonja solid exposition before her adventure begins. We see Sonja’s bushcraft skills and her sincere appreciation for the woods that sustained her. She takes great offense when innocents are killed, and believes that the goddess Ashera (a Semitic deity) protects the Earth and those who treasure its bountiful splendor. Draygan, played superbly by Sheehan, curses religion as foolish nonsense that must be eradicated, and envisions technology as the great liberator of the ignorant masses. Draygan ironically doesn’t see that he’s more savage than the “uncivilized” people he crushes with impunity.
Robert Sheehan as Draygan
The ideological battle at the center of the plot is smartly explored as the bodies pile up.Bassett (Deathwatch, Strike Back, Ash vs Evil Dead), an outspoken champion of conservation and environmental protection, allows Sheehan to state Draygan’s vile case in a show-stealing performance. He’s arrogant, narcissistic and vicious, but not mindless in his approach: Draygan, like every despot throughout history, uses iron-fisted methodology to enforce his views. He’s a well-written antagonist and the perfect foil to Sonja, especially when a major second-act reveal illuminates Draygan’s motivations.
Sonja’s early comic-book depiction has been criticizedfor her bikini-clad warrior image. Bassett and Huo cleverly address Sonja’s sexualization in the reboot, and it’s perhaps the film’s most pertinent aspect. Draygan puts Sonja in an armored bikini to demean and objectify her, humiliating her to entertain deplorable gawkers as part of his bread-and-circus display. Sonja refuses to be his pawn and turns the table on Draygan’s lewd indignity, but others pay the price for her resilience. Sonja then makes this degrading costume her own as she seeks righteous vengeance.
Red Sonja’svisual effects and production design are sharply done, adding a blockbuster cinematic quality to a film that seems bigger and more expansive than its budget. CGI castles and mystical beasts are seamlessly blended into practical sets. You’re fully engaged in every scene because everything looks exactly like it should. There’s never a point where something fake or blatantly unrealistic takes the audience out of the story. This is a real accomplishment that setsRed Sonjaabove other adaptations, where shoddy effects and subpar filmmaking ruin the experience. Bassett shows her expertise in every frame by getting the most bang for her buck.
Wallis Day as Annisia
Lutz beats baddies to a pulp, but isn’t a complete badass from the start. Sonja’s lethal skills evolve with her character. Her first tussle with Annisia shows fighting promise, but Sonja’s not nearly skilled enough to beat a superior opponent. She takes her licks throughout and becomes more determined with each defeat, winning the respect of her fellow gladiators with raw nerve. They, like Draygan, can see the fire that burns within her. That indomitable spirit is also fueled by compassion and tenderness. Lutz owns every aspect of Sonja, making her a terrific casting choice. It’s obvious that Bassett found the right actress to lead the film.
A truly unexpected climax deserves a golf clap for originality, coming right as the film settles into a lull of hacking and bleeding. Bassett’s take onRed Sonjais not predictable, and deserves to be seen — everyone who lovesthe classic 1985 film with Brigitte Nielsenand Arnold Schwarzenegger is going to be pleasantly surprised here.
Red Sonjais a production of Millennium Media and Campbell Grobman Films. It will have a theatrical release on August 15th followed by a digital premiere on August 29th from Samuel Goldwyn Films.
