Elektra (2005)

“Some lessons can't be taught, Elektra. They must be lived to be understood.” 

            I know I am being judged big time for having seen Elektra. I know that this and Daredevil are considered two of the worst comic book movies ever made. I am a huge Jennifer Garner fan. When Elektra came out eight years ago Alias was still on the air. Me and Alias have a very nice history together. I can remember seeing Daredevil with my family when it came out. When Elektra came out I of course had to see it. I remember Jennifer Garner on Alias in season three when she cut her bangs since she was getting ready or was all ready for Elektra (I remember it was season three because I remember the scene when Sydney popped her head up and she had bangs all the sudden… and Lauren Reed was still a threat…boo hiss!!). When I saw the movie I thought it was good and for the life of me could not see why everyone thought it sucked. Well eight years later and having not seen the movie in years I can see why it did not do too well.

            Elektra kind of picks up where Daredevil left off. Elektra was apparently killed at the end of the other movie. She was brought back to life by a sensei named Stick (Terrence Stamp). She was kicked out of Stick’s camp because she was too angry and aggressive. To make ends meet she has become a hired assassin. Elektra is given a job that will pay two million dollars. The client wants her to go to a house and stay there before they give her the details of the job.

            Elektra has been at the house for some time. She tells her agent that if she does not get any details she is walking away. After a swim Elektra comes back to find someone in her house. She finds a girl named Abbie in the house. Abbie had taken Elektra’s necklace that used to be her mother’s. Later that afternoon she runs into a man named Mark who is looking for Abbie his daughter. Elektra gets her targets to eliminate. Unfortunately her targets are Mark and Abbie. She decides to save them both. When Elektra does not take them out a group called The Black Hand comes after them. The Black Hand is a criminal organization with supernatural assassins.

            After Elektra saves their lives she takes them on the run. It turns out that Abbie has supernatural powers and The Hand wants them on their side. In between trying to save Abbie and Mark and getting revenge against The Hand Elektra has to overcome her own demons of seeing her mother killed when she was young.

            So many things are wrong with this movie. The whole story about Elektra seeing her mother dead and her assassin was pointless. It is obviously what drove her but it was not very well played out. There are so many aspects of the story are not well thought out.

            Jennifer Garner despite a bad story and not a very good screenplay was excellent. I love her as a badass. Elektra was more angry and aggressive than Sydney Bristow. Nowadays Jennifer Garner is playing sweet characters which are alright but she will always be a badass HBIC to me. I am not just saying this because Garner is my hero and idol but there is not one else who could have been better in this role. At the time Garner was the best female action hero and even eight years later I still adore seeing her kicking ass and feel like an impressionable seventeen year old.

            Elektra has several flaws and looking at it now as a more mature movie watcher it is definitely not the best movie I have ever sat through. But thinking back to when I was so into Alias Elektra brings back great memories. Seeing Jennifer Garner kick ass still makes me happy and excited.