Warning: Major spoilers for Canary Black below!Canary Blackdelivers a major twist involving mystery assassin Kali during the third act - but this comes far too late.Canary BlackcastKate Beckinsale as CIA agent Avery who is forced to go rogue to save her kidnapped husband, David (Rupert Friend). The film is the latest thriller from director Pierre Morel, who specializes in action thrillers likeTakenorThe Gunmanthat take famed dramatic actors like Sean Penn or Liam Neeson and have them punching and shooting their way out of trouble.
Of course, with her years of experience battling vampires and werewolves in theUnderworldsaga, Beckinsale is no stranger to action. She also proves to be theCanary Black’shighlight, making up for the story’s leaps in logic or falling back on genre cliché.Canary Black’sendingmakes the movie’s franchise intentions very clear, with Avery having diverted disaster and being recruited to a top-secret organization for her troubles. Of course,Avery also learned that hubby David was secretly the mystery assassin Kali she had spent years chasing.
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Canary Black’s Kali Twist Is Far Too Obvious
Maybe Kate Beckinsale’s Avery isn’t such a great spy after all
Avery is essentially a female Jack Bauer, and can outpunch, outshoot and outthink her opponents. Her only weakness is her love for David, which gets exploited whenCanary Black’svillains kidnap him and give Avery a strict deadline to steal a secret MacGuffin for them. Viewers only get a couple of scenes of Avery and David being in love before he’s snatched, with co-star Rupert Friend then spending most of the story offscreen.When the third act reveals David has been Kali the entire time, this twist holds no shock valuewhatsoever.
That’s because by this point, audiences who’ve seen more than one spy thriller will have figured out there’s more to David than meets the eye. He’s the dream husband who feels too good to be true, and an actor of Friend’s caliber is going to be given more to do than spend an hour tied to a chair. More than that, thisKate Beckinsale action moviemakes such a big deal about Kali early on and how he’s a total cipher that someone will inevitably get unmasked as the killer.
In short, most viewers will have pegged David as Kali long before Avery does. If it’s not obvious right from his introduction,Canary Blackgives audiences too much time to figure out the Kali reveal on their own. This puts the film’s lead character in the unenviable position of being way behind the audience watching, making it feel like Avery isn’t quite the superspy she’s sold as.
Rupert Friend played another mysterious assassin in 2015 video game adaptationHitman: Agent 47.
Revealing The Truth About David Earlier Would Have Improved Canary Black’s Story
A simple change could have bumped Canary Black up a couple of marks
The titular “Canary Black” itself is a genuinely inventive MacGuffin, and the third act effectively sells the apocalyptic stakes if Avery fails. Even so, the screenplay resorts to too many familiar tropes, which includes the “twist” of David’s true nature. The scene where he saves Avery from certain death by displaying his badass assassin skills is played like a shock, but it simply feels like the Amazon original hasfinallycaught up with viewers.
Canary Blackwastes a lot of energy concealing a plot twist that many will have worked out on their own.
Canary Blackmissed a chance to be more subversive in this regard;Avery should have discovered the truth about Kali and his debt to the Russian gang much earlier. This would have put her in the impossible spot of saving a ruthless killer - who is also the man she loves. It would have been an intriguing twist for her to press ahead with his rescue and stealing Canary Black; partly to save her husband, but also because she needs answers about how much of their marriage was genuine.
Not only that, but if her CIA superiors had learned she was Kali’s wife, this would have made their relentless pursuit of her feel more justified. Instead,Canary Blackwastes a lot of energy concealing a plot twist that many will have worked out on their own.
How Canary Black’s Sequel Tease Sets Up A More Interesting Film
Canary Black 2 could be an even darker Mr and Mrs Smith
In addition to Avery getting a job offer from MC6 head Mills (Saffron Barrows), she has also had to come to terms with her “husband” escaping. After defeating the bad guys together, David/Kali begs Avery to run away with him, but she - quite understandably - states the trust between them is destroyed. He jumps into a nearby river to escape, butAvery discovering David’s wedding ring placed on a bridge in the final scene makes it clear he’s still out there.
2004
80%
2008
60%
2010
37%
2015
15%
2018
13%
2021
2023
10%
2024
N/A
This leaves a potentialCanary Black sequel with an intriguing hook. It sounds like Avery’s new gig will basically make her a full-time assassin, so a sequel that finds her reuniting with David (or being forced to work with him) has some potential. It could be a darker take onMr and Mrs Smith, where Avery fights against her conflicting emotions for David/Kali, while he works to win her back - or sets her up for another betrayal. This certainly feels like a less hackneyed approach thanCanary Black’soverly familiar plot, though time will tell if a sequel happens.
Canary Black
Cast
Avery Graves, a CIA operative, must betray her country to save her husband, relying on underworld contacts and her elite skills to prevent a global crisis.
