Red Sparrow 4K Blu-ray Review & Comments

Casimir Harlow

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So much gnarl in one film, I was there! Never much of a J-Law fan before, although the one with the mop was fun, but here she rocks. Yes, the accent is dodgy but if you have been around English-speaking Russians they tend to have either a dodgy Canadian accent or a dodgy Russian one! The bloat in the middle actually worked for me: there is still story-driving narrative and character fleshing in there, it was a welcome change from the typical slam-bam Hollywood style, and in a very similar vein to Macbeth with its 'boring bits' at the English court that many productions omit these days, it puts on the brakes and so ramps up the desire to get back to more of the gnarl. It has Charlotte Rampling in uniform, too. Russians also make the best bad guys.*

*Not the real Russians, you understand. Any resemblance to them is purely accidental. Although there is some smoking in the film.
 
I want to re-watch this movie but I don't feel it's worth the money to import it to get it uncut. I know the UK cinema release was cut, can anyone confirm weather the 4k disc is also cut?
 
Really enjoyed this film a lot more than I was expecting too and looks great in UHD too.
A few scenes certainly surprised and will be watching again.

7.5 out of 10 for me.
 
I want to re-watch this movie but I don't feel it's worth the money to import it to get it uncut. I know the UK cinema release was cut, can anyone confirm weather the 4k disc is also cut?

AFAIK the UK version regardless of format is cut.
 
I want to re-watch this movie but I don't feel it's worth the money to import it to get it uncut. I know the UK cinema release was cut, can anyone confirm weather the 4k disc is also cut?
Both english and american versions are 140 minutes.
 
Both english and american versions are 140 minutes.

The difference in the cuts isn't about the length its about how brutal a certain scene is. My understanding is that the UK version is less gory than the US one
 
As the review says, a slow burner... but that's what I liked about it.
It would have been easy to go all Atomic Blonde, but this is so much subtler and more atmospheric.

Only thing I didn't enjoy so much was
(as with Atomic Blonde), the twist, then double twist, then, wait, What? Hang on who's side is she on?
 
Solid movie. Not slow, given it's plot and atmosphere... Didn't feel long at all... An antidote to the blockbusters...

I just wish they had more seduction and sexiness... There is plently of nudity and sexual aggression, but the only sexy part was the very taboo and creepy scene
where she teases and kisses her FSB uncle
... Apart from that there was little actual sensuality or seduction... It always has some anti-erotic violence... But this is the culture we live in now, where you cannot show sexual pleasure, even in the context of manipulation and seduction...

Still... A rare adult themed and entertaining movie in the cinema, which seems increasingly infantalised with it's CGI cartoons and spandex heroes... I wish it had done better commercially...
 
Ive seen the American cut, it’s a very minor moment in a scene near the beginning. Just ever so slightly lessens the ick factor.
 
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The movie is certainly worth seeing,an adult and unflinching affair with a believable heroine,who cant rely on superpowers or kick-ass skills ala Atomic Blonde.The PQ is great,the 4k master shows from the first scene.I hope they make more,no need for a blown budget.
 
Missed the film on release but read the book first (and the two sequels) and then watched the film ... I agree that the aura issue in the book is a major contributor to the plot and character and to miss it out completely from the film was an oversight and left the film with very little to work with ... its a shame that it was a flop (maybe dropping the aura was a mistake) as the further novels make a good espionage trilogy :)
 
The movie is certainly worth seeing,an adult and unflinching affair with a believable heroine,who cant rely on superpowers or kick-ass skills ala Atomic Blonde.The PQ is great,the 4k master shows from the first scene.I hope they make more,no need for a blown budget.

It's possible it could get picked up for a TV series at some stage. But Jennifer Lawrence was, at best, locked in for a sequel only if the film achieved a certain success, which it hasn't.
 
Missed the film on release but read the book first (and the two sequels) and then watched the film ... I agree that the aura issue in the book is a major contributor to the plot and character and to miss it out completely from the film was an oversight and left the film with very little to work with ... its a shame that it was a flop (maybe dropping the aura was a mistake) as the further novels make a good espionage trilogy :)

Thanks for this. Good to know the novels are worth a crack because I was thinking of giving them a go.
 
I like a bit of flesh as much as the next person, but I walked out of the cinema after an hour or so of this nonsense. J-Law is a talented actress and well-worthy of her plaudits.

However, this could have been so much better if there was a HINT of naked Jennifer, instead of pampering to the lowest common denominator.

I haven't been insulted so much since I went to see the latest Transformers effort.

With the excessive violence, the nudity and the terrible accents - one might think the studio were simply desperate to grab the attention of critics and public, alike - to cover up the fact it wasn't a very good film in the first place?
 
I like a bit of flesh as much as the next person, but I walked out of the cinema after an hour or so of this nonsense. J-Law is a talented actress and well-worthy of her plaudits.

However, this could have been so much better if there was a HINT of naked Jennifer, instead of pampering to the lowest common denominator.

I haven't been insulted so much since I went to see the latest Transformers effort.

With the excessive violence, the nudity and the terrible accents - one might think the studio were simply desperate to grab the attention of critics and public, alike - to cover up the fact it wasn't a very good film in the first place?

Why did you go to see this film then? The mostly negative reviews would have told you all this and you could have saved your time and money. I'm proud to be the lowest common denominator in this case because I enjoyed the film, as did my partner (She's from the former East Germany so a bit weird like that). When it comes to being insulted, I would nominate The First Purge instead.
 
I like a bit of flesh as much as the next person, but I walked out of the cinema after an hour or so of this nonsense. J-Law is a talented actress and well-worthy of her plaudits.

However, this could have been so much better if there was a HINT of naked Jennifer, instead of pampering to the lowest common denominator.

I haven't been insulted so much since I went to see the latest Transformers effort.

With the excessive violence, the nudity and the terrible accents - one might think the studio were simply desperate to grab the attention of critics and public, alike - to cover up the fact it wasn't a very good film in the first place?
This is not a movie for prudes, nor is it meant to be an ernest and 'important' movie... The star actress even told the media to watch it to see her naked... :D

It's just a Russian spy thriller with skin and violence... something to capitalise on the current times and the rise of the Russain boogyman again since the Cold War...

My criticism is that it isn't titilating enough! Needed to be sexier with some non-violent scenes of sexual intrigue...
 
This is not a movie for prudes

Wasn't being prudish, my friend. Like I said, I love a bit of flesh too, hence the reason I went to see Valerian!
 
I thought Valerian was refreshing... :smashin:

Serious question: In what way do you find it "refreshing"? Non-Hollywood, in the same way as Besson's earlier The Fifth Element? I enjoyed the visuals very much, but felt a gaping hole in the central casting (the leads' lack of chemistry) and also the generic plot. Some nice moments and ideas in there, though, but based on a series of French graphic novels the rest of the world has never heard of? The smartest move was selling most of the rights to fun production, leaving the investors/buyers greatly out of pocket. Even so, Besson's own company has had to take some pretty drastic financial steps of its own in the wake of this film.
 
My God, man! You are a sucker for self-inflicted punishment! :eek:

Yeah, but Cara D has a great look about her!

On a less sexist note, the film looked great but lost all momentum in the middle third and you did have to leave your intelligence at the door.
 

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