Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)

Gunpowder Milkshake is the kind of movie that knows exactly what it is: a neon-lit, comic-book fever dream of an action thriller where style isn’t decoration—it’s the engine. Karen Gillan brings a bruised, determined edge to Sam, and the film’s real pleasure is watching her collide and then click into place with a formidable women-led ensemble that turns every hallway, diner, and hideout into a stage for balletic mayhem. The vibe is pulpy and playful, with a wicked sense of humor peeking through the gunfire, and it’s staged with enough visual swagger that even familiar beats feel freshly lacquered. It is very violent and proudly over-the-top, so if you want gritty realism this isn’t your drink—but if you’re in the mood for a high-energy, candy-colored revenge fantasia, it’s a blast.

Gunpowder Milkshake is trying to be a slick, neon-soaked, female-led revenge thriller with a fairy-tale vibe and big “cool” energy—think stylized set pieces, quirky locations, and a chosen-family assassin squad. The problem is it often confuses attitude for substance: the story feels thin, the characters are more poses than people, and the pacing can drag between bursts of violence that don’t always land as exciting as the movie wants them to. If you’re hoping for gritty crime tension, sharp world-building, or emotional stakes that stick, this may feel like a greatest-hits mixtape of better action films. But if you just want an R-rated, colorfully choreographed shoot-’em-up with Karen Gillan and Lena Headey doing their best with the material, it can still work as lightweight, late-night viewing.