Zoe Saldaña’s Divisive Action Thriller ‘Colombiana’ Lands on Netflix in January

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As a movie enthusiast who’s seen my fair share of action flicks and has had the pleasure of watching Jean Reno and Natalie Portman in “Léon: The Professional”, I must say that the upcoming Netflix release, “Colombiana“, piques my interest. Co-written by Luc Besson, it seems to be a spiritual successor to one of his most beloved action movies, albeit with a twist – Zoe Saldaña taking over the lead role.

The actor from both “Avatar” and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is set as the main character in a contentious action thriller from 2011, scheduled for release in the upcoming year on [Streaming Platform/Cinema]. Notably, this film features the “Guardians of the Galaxy” actor in the limelight, and was co-written and produced by Luc Besson, known for his work on “Taken” and “The Fifth Element”, as well as directed by Olivier Megaton, who has previously worked on “Transporter 3” and “Taken 2”. Therefore, it boasts an impressive action movie lineage, though not necessarily a positive critical reception.

As a movie enthusiast, I’m eagerly anticipating my upcoming watch: “Colombiana,” co-written and produced by Luc Besson, and directed by Olivier Megaton. This action-packed masterpiece will feature Zoe Saldaña alongside an impressive cast including Michael Vartan, Cliff Curtis, Lennie James, Callum Blue, and Jordi Mollà. If you’re looking for a thrilling post-New Year’s Eve viewing option, mark your calendars! “Colombiana” is set to grace our Netflix screens on the first day of the new year, January 1st. Get ready to experience this captivating tale when it arrives! Here’s the official synopsis for a sneak peek:

1992 in Bogota, a young girl witnesses the cold-blooded murder of her parents at the hands of crime lord Don Luis and his associate Marco. Fifteen years later, the grown woman known as Cataleya, named after a beautiful Colombian orchid, works as a hired gun for her uncle based in Chicago. Leaving a subtle lipstick mark of her namesake on each target, Cataleya completes her assignments with precision and harbors dreams of retribution for her family’s death.

‘Colombiana’ Began Life as a Sequel to Beloved Action Movie ‘Léon: The Professional’

As a movie critic, I found myself squarely in the middle of the debate surrounding “Colombiana”. This action thriller seems to have caused quite a schism between critics and viewers, a common occurrence with movies of this genre. Critics only managed to muster a 28% approval rating, while the audience, on the other hand, awarded it a commendable 67%.

Remarkably, the film Colombiana can be considered as an unspoken sequel to one of Luc Besson’s notable (and debatable) action movies – Léon: The Professional, which was initially released in 1994. This movie received favorable feedback from critics and maintains a “certified fresh” rating of 75% according to Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics. However, audiences were particularly captivated by this unusual yet moving story about a hitman and his young protegee, resulting in an astoundingly high audience score of 95%.

A sequel to the movie “Leon: The Professional” was initially planned, with director Luc Besson penning a script titled “Mathilda,” focusing on an older version of the character played by Natalie Portman, who had grown into a professional assassin similar to Jean Reno’s character. However, the intended sequel never came to fruition; instead, Besson transformed the script into the 2011 action-thriller “Colombiana,” starring Zoe Saldaña as a vengeful killer.

In some of the most successful movie series ever made, Zoe Saldaña has garnered both critical praise and speculation for an Academy Award with her role in this year’s “Emilia Pérez”. She is set to reappear in James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar series, playing Neytiri the Na’vi once more in “Avatar: Fire and Ash”, scheduled for release on December 19, 2025.

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2024-12-26 23:01