With all the chatter about a female James Bond, audiences ignored yet another action-thriller about a female spy. Following the flop of 2017’s Atomic Blonde, a beautifully choreographed if incoherent action film starring Charlize Theron, Luc Besson (La Femme Nikita and Leon: The Professional) returns to his roots with Anna—a surprisingly entertaining and thankfully coherent action film starring Sasha Luss, Helen Mirren, Luke Evans, and Cillian Murphy.

Anna, too, flopped.

The movie follows a Russian model who also happens to be a spy, who works under the orders of her handler (Evans) and their overseer (Mirren). When she gets cornered by a British spymaster (Murphy), she is forced to a maneuver a dangerous game, playing both sides for her only real goal: to be free of it all.

There’s nothing remarkably unique or profound about the plot, but unlike Atomic Blonde’s, it at least makes sense. Despite being two hours long, the movie advances quickly and efficiently, even if it spends a little too much time on Anna’s modeling career.

Most importantly, Besson packs the movie with several well-choreographed and satisfyingly violent action sequences that gives Luss the opportunity to kick some serious ass. A scene in a restaurant is particularly well done, and throughout Luss—a slender, beautiful woman you wouldn’t naturally take for an action star—establishes herself as a force to be reckoned with.

Anna doesn’t quite establish what makes it unique—probably because it isn’t unique—and for that reason it falls a bit short, but for fans of Besson’s earlier work and those who enjoy stylized action sequences, it more than delivers.

Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.