KALI: L'ange de la Vengeance is a French production directed by Julien Seri, a Luc Besson alumni who debuted in 2001 with Yamakasi. At first it looks like a very typical action film but with some French elements, and while that description is not wrong I think it still has a little more to offer even if it's not really original.
Lisa a.k.a Kali, played by Sabrina Ouazani (Taxi 5, Kung-Fu Zohra, Prière d’enquêter : Elli et Clément) is an ex-special Forces recruit whose life took a dark turn after the death of her child and her relationship with her husband turned shaky soon after. She is informed that her husband was killed by a drug trafficking organization, Kali must now investigate her husband's involvement with them, was he in on their operations or was he investigating them? She will go to Brazil and use her skills and rage to find out, starting shootouts, street fights, blowing up grenades and torturing criminals in brutal ways.
While the plot isn't anything special I think what sets this movie apart is the intimate angle it takes as it is sprinkled with heartwarming moments that, while a bit simple, still work and give a bit more depth to the story than the average action product. Although, the actual combat sequences with gunplay and fighting are well shot, properly choreographed and executed in an exciting manner.
The solid performances are able to convey hard emotions in very little time, almost as soon as the movie starts (in a very personal moment as well), you feel with the characters even if you don't really know them that much at this point. It's somewhat believable at handling the emotional responses. As I mentioned, there´s more emphasis on emotions and inner feelings than in action, which is why the movie sets up everything in the very first scene, the rest delves into the heroine´s mental state.
The movie is about two things: Character study of a troubled woman and the corruption investigation that leads to detective work. There's also a focus on maternity in the film, from two pregnancies and mothers and their children appearing all throughout the runtime.
Our protagonist is relentless and violent, I think this ends up working fine and gives her a hard edge. I do feel like we need more development through her actions or perhaps more substantial conversations regarding her backstory and her emotional state, most of it feels too cold to care fully. Maybe some flashbacks would have been nice like in Kill Bill (2003-2004). There is a compelling dream sequence that makes the movie stand out a bit more and I like the way they turned the deity of Kali into a more spiritually violent symbol rather than the bloodthirsty goddess she is usually portrayed as, when Kali says she is “The goddess of destruction and transformation,” this speaks about the protagonists´ both inner and outer strength.
The cinematography is polished, the textures almost makes it feel like one of those old school and gritty crime thrillers, aside from the modern touches. The camera is dynamic, the editing cuts to the chase and the color grading is pleasing to the eye, integrating the color quite well into the shots, very organically, something that makes the images stand out more, all subtly too. Some of the color gels and neon lighting are very derivative of modern action cinema but it works well here because it's not overused.
While the film is very well directed and acted it may have a plot that's too generic for most audiences, and some people have noted the stereotypical and unrealistic way Brazilians are portrayed in this picture, so have that in mind. Otherwise, this is a good entry to the action genre that delivers the goods and becomes more worthwhile than most of its kind because of it´s sentimental conflicts.
I also think it tackles a very interesting subject when it comes to action female leads: the fact that they are able to take a life and to give life at the same time. A dichotomy that´s fascinating and perhaps not as conflictive as it seems. Looks like Seri learned some lessons on deadly females from Besson.
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