Bullet Points: Kate (2021)

Netflix continues to CRANK out new movies each and every week. Their latest action offering, Kate, hits the streaming service Friday September 10th. http://www.netflix.com/kate

• The Plot: We have seen the plot of Kate recycled many times before: An assassin is poisoned and she only has 24 hours to figure out who is responsible before she dies. Will she survive long enough to solve the mystery and get her revenge? Kate stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Kate, Woody Harrelson, Tadanobu Asano, Jun Kunimura and introducing Miku Martineau. Kate is directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan. 
• Does it Work?: I had a few doubts going into Kate. I wanted to see great action, and anything else worthwhile would be a plus. Mary Elizabeth Winstead has a huge fan base, but I am not necessarily a member of that fandom. I had my doubts during the beginning. I had a feeling I was watching a sinking ship. That is, until I watched an action scene in a nightclub. All my thoughts changed afterwards. I started to believe in M.E.W.. The action looked credible and believable. It looked like well-crafted action us action fanatics crave. At this point, I started to feel like Kate was another version of Nobody. A film where you don’t expect the lead to be so damn good, yet they are. 

• The Yakuza: I am a sucker for a badass Yakuza flick. Kate is more Yakuza gangster flick than anything else. The Yakuza culture is felt throughout, and in my opinion, Jun Kunimura steals the film as aging Yakuza boss, Kijima. We have all the elements: Honor, deception, family, betrayal, death, duty and loyalty. Fans of the Yakuza, should be pleased. 
• Wrapping it Up: Kate is one of the biggest action surprises of the year. I guess I am now a believer in Kate and in Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Watch with confidence, Action Fanatics!
• Grade: A-