Some people break things when they’re mad.Kate Beckinsale’s Lindy throws punches… and occasionally babies inJolt. The bizarre narrative here is what happens when a film throws subtlety to the wind and transforms female rage into a good old-fashioned rampage. Starring Beckinsale as a woman who literally shocks herself to avoid committing murder,Joltis all shades of loud and chaotic, and if you squint a little, it’s genius in its own unhinged way.Jolt’s strong selling point is that it isn’t trying to masquerade itself as profound, or at the very least, deep. It’s more of a cheeky, over-the-top response to the “strong female lead”trope.
As such, Lindy isn’t portrayed as broodingly powerful or tragically broken; instead, she’s petty, angry, and unpredictable, yet somehow still completely valid. The film toys with the idea of a woman who’s done apologizing for being “too much.” While the plot’s intention is admirable, the execution is wobbly. However, this is simply not the kind of movie one watches for a coherent narrative; instead, it delivers an adrenaline-filled hour and thirty-one minutes with Beckinsale brawling her way through a murder mystery that comes complete withLaverne CoxandBobby Cannavaleas detectives.
Kate Beckinsale’s Fury in ‘Jolt’ Hits Different
First things first, nobody inJoltis just mad, they’re capital-M Mad, but what truly steals the show here is Lindy’s rage. The character isn’t simply allowed to be angry, the whole movie revolves around her concept of anger. Making things even better is the fact that she doesn’t hide behindwitty one-linersor similar crutches. Instead, the film allows pure unbridled fury to drive the plot, the action, and every single kick and punch thrown. Beckinsale plays Lindy like she’s always two seconds from throwing someone through a wall. She has a condition that makes her snap into violent outbursts when provoked, and fortunately for the plot, but unfortunately for Lindy, the world won’t stop pushing her buttons. From the woman who shames her date at a restaurant to the thugs she practically obliterates while looking for her maybe-boyfriend,Joltturns every slight into astage for revenge.
At one point, Lindy headbutts a guy into a toilet, clad in a pink coat. The scene is fast, brutal, and weirdly funny, the kind that sums up the movie’s entire vibe. What’s funnier is how the film never tries to placate the audience. Lindy’s character is not destined to calm down or suddenly see the error in her ways, she’s on a path to burn it all down. AndJoltis fully on her side, possibly egging her on as she kicks, slaps, and swears her waythrough a conspiracy. It may be nothing more than pure spectacle, but all the impulsive action is equally lowkey cathartic on some level; afterall, who hasn’t wanted to completely lose their marbles on more than one occasion? Lindy just gets to do it with style and a stun gun.
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The Love Story in ‘Jolt’ Is So Unhinged That It Actually Works
InJolt, everything kicks off with a guy and a drink, needless to say, for Lindy, that’s already a risky combo. After years of managing her rage with an actual electric shock vest, she finally gives romance a shot, falling for her polar opposite — a mild-mannered accountant named Justin (Jai Courtney). He’s basically the human version of chamomile tea, which is exactly what Lindy’s never had. As a result, for once, she feels safe and doesn’t feel the need to kill. Progress right? Then he gets murdered.
That one act is what “jolts” the entire narrative into motion. Lindy’s grief is loud, angry, and deeply unstable, which is very on-brand. But the movie doesn’t just use the would-be romance as a random plot device. It actually gives Lindy something she never dreamed she could have — a reason to want to live on the softer side of life. All in all, that makes her loss sting more than you’d expect. But here’sthe twist— and believe us when we say thatJoltloves a twist, Lindy is actually being manipulated, and her rage is the weapon the perpetrator is hoping to yield. It’s at that point that what starts out as a rom-com turns into arevenge thriller, and then detours into a betrayal that cuts all too deep. Overall, the end result is messy, funny, and surprisingly effective.
