I started off this movie with the expectation of seeing something Spy thriller-ish. But from the first act, I realized it was planning something quite different.
The story follows Dominika Egorova, a former ballerina whose career is cut short by an injury. Struggling to take care of her sick mother and desperate for stability, she's pushed into the world of Russian intelligence. Except, instead of the usual secret-agent training, Dominika is sent into a "Sparrow school," a program that teaches young recruits how to weaponize their bodies, emotions, and sexuality in order to manipulate targets. It's disturbing, not because of high-tech espionage, but because of how dehumanizing it feels.
Jennifer Lawrence, who plays Dominika, is more of the lead role in the movie. She's not the typical unbreakable spy we are used to seeing. She's vulnerable, scared, and furious all at once. You don't just watch her become a "Sparrow", you see her wrestle with whether she'll let the system own her, or if she can bend it to her will.
The tension grows when she's assigned to get close to Nate Nash, a CIA officer who's protecting a high-level Russian informant. Their relationship is complicated. It makes you wonder whether Dominika is playing him, or whether she's trying to break free from the Russian intelligence.
Unlike most films of this nature which are majorly based on stunts and gadgets, Sparrow bases more on psychological warfare, and how far someone can be pushed before they decide to fight back. The movie had a lot of suspense moments, like some scenes when you see Dominika staring across the room and you just can't quite tell what she's planning.
I did find some downsides in the movie though. For one, I think the time was overstretched, and some scenes lasted longer than necessary. The scenes of the Sparrow training were mostly brutal which some viewers may find to be disturbing due to the graphic nature. But at the same time, that's part of what makes the movie stand out. By the end of the movie, you'll eventually realize the movie isn't about whether Dominika can survive the Sparrow program, it's about whether she can outthink the people who think they own her. https://youtu.be/ZQUBjoGm1ls?si=MKI_R2lrs38x7dYp The movie is for sure entertaining. Jennifer Lawrence really delivered most of her restrained but intense performances. I rate the movie 6.5/10.