Kate Beckinsale is back to her old ass-kicking ways in the new trailer for the upcoming action-comedy Jolt. Directed by Tanya Wexler, the film stars Beckinsale as a bouncer with a serious anger management problem who seeks revenge after her lover is killed. The film from Amazon Prime Video also stars Bobby Cannavale, Laverne Cox, Jai Courtney, Susan Sarandon, and Stanley Tucci.
Beckinsale is perhaps best known for her other action-heavy role as leather-glad vampire Selene in the Underworld franchise. Beckinsale starred in four of the five Underworld movies, starting with the first one in 2003. The first Underworld is one of those movies that define the early 2000s, a time when every action movie was clearly influenced by The Matrix. The franchise helped push the oxford alum into the spotlight, allowing her to star in other action films like Van Helsing and the 2012 Colin Farrell remake of Total Recall.
Jolt stars Beckinsale as a platinum blonde nightclub bouncer named Lindy. She explains in the trailer, "I've got this condition, it makes me snap," right before jamming a sandwich in an annoying subway passengers' face. Lindy deals with her anger problem using some kind of high-tech electro-vest installed by a doctor portrayed by Tucci. However, despite her best efforts to deal with her anger, Lindy goes down a path of revenge after her lover is mysteriously killed.
Amazon Prime's Jolt seems to be playing heavily on the theme of female rage, with Sarandon's character encouraging Lindy to embrace her anger rather than suppress it like she's been told to do her whole life. Beckinsale predictably spends the latter half of the trailer beating the crap out of nameless men as Cannavale's Detective Vicars chases her down, trying to stop her before she kills someone. His efforts are likely wasted though, as Lindy seems completely unstoppable in her quest for revenge.
Jolt is the latest in a trend of female-led action movies. Also coming out this summer is Netlfix's action-comedy Gunpowder Milkshake, which stares Guardians of the Galaxy's Karen Gillan as a female assassin who goes rogue to protect an innocent child , and another action-packed revenge film starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead titled Kate.
Beckinsale is truly a veteran of this sub-genre and the Jolt trailer shows she hasn't lost her touch. She's been kicking-ass on screen for nearly two decades, but despite that, the 47-year-old actress shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon, and we should all be thankful for that.
Jolt will premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on July 23rd, 2021.
Source: Amazon Prime Video | YouTube