HOLLYWOOD—I was truly happy to see Jessica Alba back on the screen, whether small or big, the actress is quite talented, and her skillset has not been utilized as of late in the cinematic universe. That all changes with her latest film courtesy of Netflix, “Trigger Warning.” What can I say about “Trigger Warning”? It is not a terrible movie, but it is not stellar either.
However, considering the public can access the flick via Netflix and not have to head to the theater, it is the perfect B-movie to entertain you on a lazy day or when you just want something to watch. The big problem with the movie is that as a viewer, the audience has no idea what the actual story is. From teasers, I thought this was going to be a special forces flick examining some shady deals in the military.
No, that is not happening here, but Alba stars as Parker, a special forces officer who finds herself having to return to her hometown after discovering her father has died. The first ten minutes of the movie delivers the action. Parker is a skilled technician with a knife, and she utilizes it well to dispatch a few threats while in combat. There is a bit of mystery, enough to draw the viewers in. The intensity the audience is given in the beginning quickly dies down when Parker returns to Creation.
Please don’t ask about the town’s name because while fictional, I know I could have come up with a name that would have been catchier or at least believable. Parker’s first visit when she returns to town is her ex Jesse (Mark Webber), who is the Sheriff of Creation. He has his loser brother, Elvis (Jake Weary), who just seems shady. It is no secret that he is up to no good, which Parker immediately pegs. If you think the Swann family couldn’t get more chaotic, we meet their father, Senator Ezekiel Swann (Anthony Michael Hall).
The Swann family is harboring secrets, and those secrets start to get unearthed as Parker starts to dig into her father’s death, learning an accidental mine collapse that killed her father, wasn’t an accident. Her pal, Mike (Gabriel Basso) assists Parker in her quest to discover the truth about her father and the elevation of crime in the town of Creation.
Let’s just throw the story out of the window because it truly doesn’t matter, the action really helps where the narrative lacks. The hand-to-hand combat is well choreographed and staged by director Mouly Surya. If you want guns, you got it with “Trigger Warning.” If you want explosions, this movie has that for you as well, but everything else just falls flat, unfortunately.
The town of Creation should have been highlighted a bit more, as well as other characters that orbit our protagonist besides some of the seedy characters, who are poorly developed and running around amuck. If you are looking for something great to watch “Trigger Warning” should not be at the top of the list. Hoping to watch something to pass your free time, you might want to give this one a try.
