Gina Rodriguez Kicks Butt And Takes Nombres In 'Miss Bala'

Liam Neeson is 66 years old, but someday he will be dead, and reluctant-hero midwinter action flicks will need a new standard-bearer. Miss Bala — director Catherine Hardwicke's efficient PG-13 remake of an R-rated Mexican thriller from 2011, also called Miss Bala — pleads the case that Gina Rodriguez, whom we saw handle a rifle in Annihilation just last year, has all the qualifications for the job if she wants it.

Given that the trailer features a shot of her wearing a tight red evening dress and a resolute expression as she stridesis strong But like last year's criminally underseen — a more richly layered and thoughtful film than this one, to be sure — invites us to take vicarious pleasure not in violence for its own sake, but in seeing women ( woman, this time) who've been pushed around by bad men find the strength to make it stop.