Red Sparrow

Somewhere deep within the too-long, too mannered RED SPARROW is a much better spy thriller waiting to be hatched.

Jennifer Lawrence is reliably good as ballerina Dominika Egorova, who's plunged into Mother Russia's spy machine after suffering a brutal injury on stage.

Having lived a life of relative privilege as a star dancer from a young age, she wants to continue that life, but finds that the only path ahead of her involves brutal training as a secret member of the Sparrow ranks.

Her uncle Vanya Egorova (Matthias Schoenaerts, suitably sordid) is a senior member of the Russian spy machine that puts his niece through hell, thinking she has the goods to be an elite spy.

Charlotte Rampling (Zardoz, The Night Porter) is terrific as Matron, who commands a Russian Hogwarts for spies that would break even the hardest candidate.

Meanwhile, Joel Edgerton (Black Mass, The Great Gatsby) is American agent Nate Nash, deeply embedded in Russia and protective of his informant, whose cover is nearly blown when they are compromised during a meeting.

Nash's world and Dominika's new life are soon on a collision course as crosses, double crosses and allegiances are tested.

For all the intrigue and globe hopping, the movie drags for its first 90 minutes. It's dark and angry, loaded with physical and mental abuse, along with beatings, rape and sheer torture; not exactly the ingredients for entertainment.

However, the last 45 minutes finally kicks in, driven by Lawrence, Edgerton and a terrific performance by Jeremy Irons as a Russian General, Mary Louise Parker as a Senator's aide with secrets to sell and Ciaran Hinds (Rome, Game of Thrones) anytime he's on screen as Zakharov.

Based on a novel by a real life CIA operative, it flashes moments of suspense and is at its best when it merges clandestine meetings in the luxury hotels of Moscow and the desire of Russia to reclaim the top of the political food-chain.

The location photography in Europe by Jo Willems (The Hunger Games films) is stunning, with stark government buildings and desolate, snowy destinations taking turns as our backdrop.

Incredibly bloody and graphic in its violence and sexuality, its an adult thriller that I wish was better. Its final act finally feels like "Munich" or "Day of the Jackal", better films it aspires to be but never quite equals.

Someone should have carved the fat off this Sparrow, there's a leaner, better thriller buried under this bloated red bird that never takes flight.

RED SPARROW gets a C+.