PEPPERMINT (2018)

Directed By: Pierre Norel 
Written By: Chad St. John 
Cinematography By: David Lanzenberg 
Editor: Frederic Thoraval 


Cast: Jennifer Garner, John Gallagher Jr., John Ortiz, Juan Pablo Raba, Annie Ilonzeh, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Tyson Ritter, Richard Cabral 


An unidentified woman is engaged in a brutal fight with a man in a car and finally dispatches him with a shot to the head. Five years earlier, the same woman, Riley North, is working as a bank teller in Los Angeles struggling to make ends meet. Her husband Chris owns a failing mechanic shop. They have a ten-year-old daughter, Carly. Chris' friend tries to talk him into robbing Diego Garcia, a powerful drug lord. Chris turns him down, but not before Garcia has already discovered his involvement and ordered his men to make an example of him. Riley and Chris take Carly out for pizza and to a carnival for her birthday since no one showed up to her party. At the carnival, Carly orders peppermint ice cream. As the family walks to the car, Diego's men gun down her husband and daughter in a drive-by shooting. She is wounded, but survives.

This feels like a return to form a bit for actress Jennifer Garner. As it definitely reminds you of her on the show ALIAS, as a kick ass action heroine. Into hear she is tougher and more savage as she becomes a vigilante.

Pretty much as revenge tale. While the film has typical action sequences the movie constantly feels flat, but stays afloat to keep your attention. Even if most of the film’s situations feel routine and familiar. It feels uninspired and typical. Even with the few twists it tries to introduce.

Even the villain feels boring and uninspired as most would think if after killing the murderers of her family. She would be goof but she must go after the whole gang feels like overkill, but they must go as they protected the murderers.

As even the lawyers who are not even on screen that long get killed off screen. Not warranting screen time or inventive kills. The film never feels as personal as a revenge film should. Where we should feel her outrage and emotions more.

If one wanted to make this film political they could note that other then the judge. We mainly see her kill minorities. Which could make this film a White supremecist dream. As well as a film showcasing for/or against the need for gun control. Though also she stays on skid row amongst a bunch of minorities also. So take that bow you will.

The flashback showing us how this all started feels too long and only seems to be that way to add details she will use later, like stealing a car from her old rival.

The film feel too typical and nothing about it is necessarily special to stand out in anyway and make us remember it. Except for maybe who it stars. In the end it’s disappointing as at least it gives us action, but unfortunately doesn’t rise to the occasion of being in many way memorable or exciting. In fact it stays pretty dark and depressing throughout.


GRADE: D+