Ava (2020)

My Review

Jessica Chastain plays a hired assassin who runs into trouble with her latest assignment in “Ava.” Chastain displays surprising effectiveness as an action star, even in fight scenes and even with mediocre material. Director Tate Taylor (“The Girl on the Train” 2016) and screenwriter Matthew Newton had mixed results, with great care taken to action sequences but with an unoriginal storyline and dull screenplay. It was filmed in Boston, Massachusetts.

The material did not exactly break new ground, and “Ava” flopped at the box office, also partly due to Covid19 restrictions hindering full theatrical release. “Ava” is watchable escapist programming from producer Jessica Chastain, Voltage Pictures, Freckle Films, and Verticle Entertainment. The talented supporting cast includes John Malkovich, Common, Ioan Gruffudd, Colin Ferrell, Diana Silvers, Jess Weixler, Joan Chen, and Geena Davis moving into matronly roles here as Chastain’s mother.