Kate Beckinsale sails through the fierce action thriller, Wildcat (2025) – written by Dominic Burns and directed by James Nunn. Beckinsale plays Ada who teams up with the rest of her ex-black ops team in a reunion which sees them try to save Ada’s young daughter, Charlotte (Isabella Moxley) and complete an elaborate heist.
Expect fast-paced action scenes and fierce fight sequences. Beckinsale leads the pack with a strong British accent which sounds a little scary. Ada feels inspired from arguably Beckinsale’s best role as Selene in the popular Underworld film franchise. Wildcat delves into feminist territory with quips from Beckinsale in full feminine force and tough-as-nails attitude. She takes down every man who messes with her and in return what results is not a pretty sight. It’s opening shots were captivating and wastes no time in sending its audience straight into the action.
Wildcat & Female Empowerment
Wildcat excels at covering multiple themes, along with setting these up very early on and paying them off later in the film. We see a strong maternal instinct from Ada. Her daughter is always on her mind and serves as constant motivation to save her. But one of the best aspects behind Wildcat is the family bond between Ada and her group.
Although a small cameo, Charles Dance’s fantastic portrayal of locked-up criminal, Frasier Mahoney nearly steals the spotlight away from the main cast. Mahoney – an influential London mob boss kidnaps Charlotte and blackmails Ada into executing a bank heist which sees her pull out all the stops.
But to make matters worse, Ada’s younger brother, Edward (Rasmus Hardiker) has amassed a debt of half-a-million, which is what caused Mahoney to act out-of-hand in the first place. With the time ticking – they have just 12 hours to save Charlotte and raise the money. Meanwhile, Christina Vine (Alice Krige) plays a fantastically sinister rival crime lord who has her diamond empire pursued in this heist.
High Stakes
Hardiker plays Edward with a realistic edge. His past trauma with his father leaves him with PTSD and sleep disturbances. This adds a more emotional strand to the heavy action-based storyline. Alongside her good friend Curtis (Bailey Patrick), Ada’s fierce loyalty to protect her brother is the best part of this story that sticks with you. She has a huge responsibility to stand up for herself, protect her family and group, and rescue her daughter. The stakes are certainly high. But there may just be more action than story here.
Fire surely crackles, bullets are fired, and fight scenes are ferocious. Although, the pacing becomes a little slow in Act Two and we’re left feeling as if the fight scenes are a bit too much. Ada’s reignited romance with her ex, Roman (Lewis Tan) is another interesting takeaway from the story.
Together with her daughter, Ada fights for their safety and freedom. It’s clear Ada’s end goal is to escape her fast-paced lifestyle and transition into a normal family life. Although she’s good at her job, it’s no longer part of her plan for the future.
Beckinsale proves she’s still got it. Jump into the action and stream Wildcat on Amazon Prime now.
Rating: 3 Stars
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