'Dirty Angels' Movie Review: A solid action film

We’re at a crazy time of year. Between holiday films, season blockbusters, awards-bait, and more, you can find yourself overwhelmed with choices. That is how we miss smaller releases, like Dirty Angels, which opens on Friday.

This is an action film that will appeal to those who enjoy a bit of a high-octane ride. It comes from Martin Campbell, who has directed James Bond films like Goldeneye and Casino Royale, as well as the under-rated action film Protégé.

Here, he finds a solid partner in Eva Green. It’s a strong cast with some good action sequences and an easy-to-follow story, which makes Dirty Angels and ideal comfort watch amid a busy season, especially for action fans.

The film follows Jake (Green), a soldier whose last mission went bad. As we first meet her, she’s held by the enemy, as is her unit, and it looks like we’re headed for a grim ending. She’s rescued, but her unit is left to die. That leaves Jake racked with guilt and anger. She tries to channel that into accusing her rescuers of cowardice.

Travis (Christopher Backus), an old colleague, approaches Jake with a new mission and a shot at redemption. She heads back to Afghanistan to help rescue a group of women being held prisoner. She’s assigned to a talented, but rough, all-female squad. All of them are familiar with the fact that her last mission went bad, and her last unit was left for dead. That causes plenty of tension, but can they overcome it all to get the mission done?

This film has a solid cast. In addition to Green and Backus, the team heading into the action includes Ruby Rose, Maria Bakalova, and Jojo T. Gibbs, among others. It’s a better cast than you normally get for a straight-forward action film. Green also brings some depth to the role and a bit of tortured soul to her character that works well in the lead role.

Campbell has plenty of experience with action films. The action sequences here, of which there are many, work well. They add some pop and excitement to the film and keep you hooked on what’s a fairly thin and predictable story.

Overall, Dirty Angels is better than you’d expect it to be given this type of film. That doesn’t mean it’s great. The plot is thin and the terrorist characters, at times, feel paper-thin. Still, if you’re a fan of an action film you don’t have to think much about, this will hit the spot.

Dirty Angels opens on Friday in limited theatrical release and on VOD.