Common Sense Media Review
Violent comic book movie with lingerie costumes.
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Elektra
What's the Story?
Elektra (Jennifer Garner), a highly successful assassin for hire, has flashbacks that remind her of her demanding father and loving but doomed mother. When her new targets turn out to be a father and daughter who had befriended her, she decides to save them instead. She feels protective toward them because they have a strong father-daughter bond, something she longed for with her own father. And because the girl reminds her of herself. And because the father is played by the smoulderingly attractive Goran Visnjic. This puts her at odds with a diabolical group of bad guys known as The Hand, including Typhoid (a woman whose poisonous breath causes instant death), Tattoo (a man whose intricate tattoos of fierce creatures come alive to spy or attack), and Kinko (he isn't there to make copies).
Is It Any Good?
This is a comic book movie that feels like it might have been made for the Lifetime channel ... with costumes by Victoria's Secret. To paraphrase the most famous line from A League of Their Own, "there's no crying in comic book movies" -- at least there shouldn't be, not by the superhero, anyway. Yes, there is kick-boxing, and stuff blows up. There is faux-meaningful comic book dialogue like "This ends here." And there are some cool special effects. But there's too much focus on Elektra's past and feelings and not enough focus on making the rest of the good or bad guys interesting.
There are some good action sequences, the best borrowing from the far-better Hong Kong films. Garner is toned and that midriff-baring costume makes her look more like Comic Book Barbie than like a killer. But she is also toned down. We get almost no chance to see those marvelous dimples or even any facial expressions other than "tortured" and "resolute."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Elektra's answer to Abby's question about why she does what she does. Why did she have to leave her training? What will she do next?
Movie Details
- In theaters : January 14, 2005
- On DVD or streaming : April 5, 2005
- Cast : Goran Visnjic , Jennifer Garner , Terence Stamp
- Director : Rob Bowman
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Superheroes
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : action violence
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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