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The Protg
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Wikipedia article
'The Protg' is a 2021 American action thriller film directed by Martin Campbell, written by Richard Wenk, and starring Maggie Q, Michael Keaton, and Samuel L. Jackson. The supporting cast features Patrick Malahide, David Rintoul, Ori Pfeffer, Ray Fearon, Caroline Loncq, and Robert Patrick. The film is about Anna, who was rescued as a child by the legendary assassin Moody, and is now the world's most skilled contract killer. However, when Moody is brutally killed, she vows revenge for the man who taught her everything she knows. The film was released on August 20, 2021 by Lionsgate. It received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $8 million at the box office.
Plot
In 1991, international assassin Moody Dutton discovers a child named Anna in the aftermath of a gang massacre in Da Nang. Thirty years later, Moody has raised Anna as his apprentice in high-profile contract killing, settling in an English manor while Anna runs a rare book shop in London.
In Bucharest, Anna and Moody kidnap the son of a Romanian mafia boss as bait, enabling Anna to kill his father. Celebrating Moodys 70th birthday, Anna gives him a guitar owned by Albert King, and he asks her to track down a person of interest named Lucas Hayes. Anna enlists her contact Benny to investigate Lucas, and encounters the mysterious Michael Rembrandt at her bookstore. Soon after, Anna finds Moody, his housekeeper, and Benny have all been murdered, and recovers files Moody hid from his killers. The hitmen attack Anna at her store, but she kills them both.
The files indicate that Lucass father Edward was a past target killed by Moody in Da Nang. Anna travels to Vietnam and convinces old associate Billy Boy and his biker gang to help her confront Jossino Vohl, Edwards business partner. She arranges a meeting, but Vohls lawyer Duquet kills him and takes Anna prisoner, demanding to know why she is seeking Hayes. Tortured by Duquet, she is visited by Rembrandt, who explains that he was not involved in the deaths of Moody and the others, though he and Duquet work for the same man.
Killing several of Duquets men, Anna escapes, and discovers that Lucas is severely disabled, cared for in a facility with a wealthy benefactor. Anna agrees to meet Rembrandt for dinner, where he urges her not to pursue his mysterious employer. Rembrandt survives an attack from local thugs sent by Duquet, while Anna kills Duquet and his men at his apartment. She ambushes Rembrandt when he arrives, before giving in to their mutual attraction and sleeping together.
On the street, Anna is wounded by Duquets remaining henchman before he is killed by Moody, who faked his death by disguising his attempted killer as himself. Rembrandts employer holds a charity banquet at his heavily fortified mansion, which Anna infiltrates disguised as a waiter. She is recognized by Rembrandt, who intervenes before she can kill his employer. Moved to his secure bunker, the employer is confronted by Moody and revealed to be Edward Hayes.
Having survived Moodys attempt on his life, Edward faked his death to guard himself and his son from those who wanted him dead, redirecting his wealth to humanitarian causes including Lucas hospital. Moody tells Edward that he was only looking for Lucas to make amends for killing his father, and Edward could have continued living in the shadows if he had not tried to kill Moody and his contacts; Moody detonates a bomb, killing Edward and himself.
Badly wounded, Anna escapes through the city to the room where Moody found her as a child. It is revealed that young Annas family was attacked by a gang, forcing her to watch as they beheaded her mother and shot her father and sisters. Taken to their hideout, she watched the gangs leader assemble a pistol. Preparing to rape her, he realized she had assembled his second pistol, using it to kill him and his gang before being rescued by Moody.
Rembrandt arrives, and he and Anna hold each other at gunpoint. Two shots are heard, and a shadow can be seen moving upstairs as Anna exits alone.
Cast
Production
In October 2017, it was announced that Gong Li had joined the cast of the film, then titled 'Ana', with Martin Campbell directing from a screenplay by Richard Wenk. In November 2019, it was announced Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson and Maggie Q had joined the cast of the film.
Principal photography began in January 2020 under the title 'The Asset'. Filming took place in Bucharest, London and Da Nang.
Release
The film was released in theatres on August 20, 2021, by Lionsgate. It was previously scheduled to be released on April 23, 2021.
Reception
Box office
In the United States and Canada, 'The Protg' was released alongside 'Reminiscence', 'The Night House', and 'PAW Patrol: The Movie' as well as the limited release of 'Flag Day' and was projected to gross around $5 million from 2,577 theaters in its opening weekend. The film made $1.1 million on its first day, and went on to debut to just $2.9 million, finishing seventh at the box office. The film fell 44% in its second weekend to $1.6 million.Critical response
Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports an approval rating of 62% based on 112 reviews, with an average rating of 5.8/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Maggie Q's still waiting for the action movie that really deserves her -- but until then, 'The Protg' hits just hard enough to satisfy." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 48 out of 100 based on 27 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews." Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported 76% of audience members gave it a positive score, with 50% saying they would definitely recommend it.References
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