Miss Bala ★★½

TOUGH women are currently big in Hollywood.

Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde, Jennifer Lawrence in Red Sparrow and Jennifer Garner in Peppermint are all recent successful examples.

So it’s no surprise that 2019 brings an American remake of the 2011 Mexican thriller Miss Bala, the story of a woman who takes on the drug cartels.

Catherine Hardwicke, best known as the director of the first Twilight film in 2008, takes over the reins from Mexican Gerardo Naranjo and makes a decent fist of the action sequences.

But for the most part the film just isn’t exciting or different enough to stand out from a dozen other recent thrillers.

It starts promisingly but debut writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer’s script wavers and eventually the character motivations and narrative become too confusing.

Gina Rodriguez is solid as Gloria, a make-up artist working with a modelling agency who travels back to Tijuana to help friend Suzy who has entered a beauty competition.

Held at a local nightclub, the competition attracts a range of celebrities keen to mingle with the contestants including the local Chief of Police.

Gloria is in the toilets when a group of assailants come through the windows. They confront her but their target is the Police Chief and the film’s first action set piece occurs.

Suzy and her younger brother are taken hostage by the assailants during their escape. Gloria tells the police she has seen the assailants but, through a series of events, ends up being taken hostage herself.

This is where things start getting confusing. the leader of the group seems to have a fascination with Gloria but it’s difficult to tell why. At one point she comes into contact with the non-corrupt police but their actions also test credibility at times.

An action set piece in a football stadium car park is impressive but the final confrontation fails to deliver.

The Miss Bala remake is ultimately a standard action thriller featuring a good central performance that is occasionally elevated by the director’s visual style.