Gunpowder Milkshake
| Industry | Film production |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2018 |
| Headquarters | Berlin , Germany |
| Parent | StudioCanal |
Gunpowder Milkshake is a 2021 action thriller film directed by Navot Papushado, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ehud Lavski. The story follows Karen Gillan portraying a young assassin who joins forces with her estranged mother (Lena Headey) and former associates (Carla Gugino, Michelle Yeoh, and Angela Bassett) to safeguard a young girl (Chloe Coleman) from killers dispatched by the vengeful father of a man she eliminated under orders from Nathan (Paul Giamatti), the head of Human Resources at The Firm.
The project was revealed during the 2018 American Film Market, with casting commencing early in 2019, including Gillan. Filming took place between June and August 2019 in Berlin. This production is a collaborative effort between The Picture Company, Babelsberg Studio, and the German division of StudioCanal, with French networks Canal+ and Ciné+ also involved.
In North America and Nordic countries, distribution was handled by Netflix and STX Films, while StudioCanal managed theatrical releases in France and Germany. Gunpowder Milkshake premiered in the United States on July 14, 2021, followed by its French release on July 21 and later in Germany on December 2. Critical reception was mixed. A follow-up installment is currently underway.
Plot
The narrative opens with a flashback set in a diner where twelve-year-old Sam discovers that her assassin mother, Scarlet, is fleeing after a mission has gone awry. When armed assailants arrive to eliminate Scarlet, she manages to kill them and escape, leaving Sam behind under Nathan’s care.
Fast forward fifteen years, Sam, now 27, operates as an assassin under Nathan’s command—the same HR leader of the organization Scarlet once worked for. Nathan tasks her with eliminating a man who embezzled funds from The Firm and retrieving the stolen money. At an armory cleverly disguised as a library, Sam encounters Scarlet’s former partners—Anna May, Madeleine, and Florence—who recognize her and supply her with untraceable weapons.
Sam infiltrates a hotel room to recover the stolen cash and wounds the thief. She discovers he took the money to rescue his abducted daughter, Emily, who is to be exchanged at a nearby bowling alley. Sam brings him to a doctor affiliated with The Firm for medical aid and agrees to oversee the exchange.
Nathan dispatches his men to intercept her; however, Sam neutralizes them and moves forward. During the exchange, masked individuals take Emily but flee without the money; internal conflict among them results in the destruction of the stolen cash.
Nathan learns that one of the henchmen killed by Sam was the son of Jim McAlister, a crime lord. To prevent escalation, Nathan betrays Sam’s whereabouts. At the doctor’s office, Sam reunites Emily with her father only to find he has died. Nathan’s operatives arrive for treatment and receive orders to eliminate her. The doctor injects Sam with a serum that disables her arms; using weapons strapped to her hands by Emily, she fights off three attackers. The two escape together in Sam’s vehicle.
Sam receives a message from Nathan directing her to a safe house stocked with supplies. There she reunites with Scarlet, who has secretly protected her for years. When enemies attack, Scarlet guides them through a concealed escape path.
They return to the library where Scarlet’s former allies express disappointment at her absence but are interrupted by gunmen. After Sam is subdued, Scarlet rescues her; the librarians join the ensuing battle.
All assailants are killed except Virgil, Jim McAlister’s nephew, who murders Madeleine and abducts Emily. Virgil demands that Sam surrender at the diner in exchange for Emily’s release. Jim reveals that his deceased son had four older sisters he never connected with and intends to torture Sam while Emily watches. Armed with weapons, Scarlet, Anna May, and Florence arrive to save them. Sam escapes with Emily before they eliminate Jim and his men.
Later on, Sam expresses remorse to Emily for killing her father; Emily forgives her. Disguised as a Girl Scout, Emily visits Nathan’s residence. Sam confronts him with threats to force his return to The Firm and cancel the contract on her life. The film concludes with Sam, Emily, Scarlet, Anna May, and Florence driving down the coastline together.
Cast
- Karen Gillan portrays Sam, a highly skilled assassin affiliated with The Firm and daughter of Scarlet
- Freya Allan depicts the younger version of Sam
- Lena Headey plays Scarlet, Sam's distant mother and ex-leader of the assassins' sisterhood
- Carla Gugino appears as Madeleine, a member of the assassins' sisterhood
- Chloe Coleman acts as Emily, a young girl under Sam's protection following the death of her father
- Ralph Ineson takes on the role of Jim McAlester, head of a formidable criminal syndicate
- Adam Nagaitis is cast as Virgil, McAlester’s nephew and an expert assassin
- Michael Smiley portrays Dr. Ricky, who oversees a clandestine clinic for assassins
- Michelle Yeoh features as Florence, part of the assassins' sisterhood
- Angela Bassett plays Anna May, another sisterhood member
- Paul Giamatti embodies Nathan, The Firm’s HR chief and Sam’s adoptive father
Supporting characters include Samuel Anderson as David, Emily’s father; Ivan Kaye as Yankee, leader of assassins dispatched to pursue Sam; David Burnell IV and Jack Bandeira as Shocker and Crow respectively; and Mai Duong Kieu, who plays a nurse at Dr. Ricky’s clinic.
Production
The film rights were secured by StudioCanal and The Picture Company, with the announcement made during the April 2018 American Film Market. Casting commenced in January 2019 with the selection of Karen Gillan, followed by Lena Headey joining in February. By May, notable cast members such as Angela Bassett, Paul Giamatti, Michelle Yeoh, Carla Gugino, and Ivan Kaye were added. In June 2019, the ensemble expanded to include Adam Nagaitis, Ralph Ineson, and Chloe Coleman. Principal photography was conducted in Berlin between June 3 and August 20, 2019.
Music
On December 16, 2019, composer Frank Ilfman was appointed to create the film’s musical score. The soundtrack album was subsequently released on July 9, 2021, through Milan Records.
Netflix and theatrical
STXfilms obtained distribution rights for North America, Latin America, and China in February 2020. Later in April 2021, U.S. distribution rights were acquired by Netflix from STXfilms. Gunpowder Milkshake premiered on Netflix in the United States, Canada, and the Nordic region on July 14, 2021, coinciding with a limited theatrical release in the U.S., where it ranked as the week’s most-viewed film according to Nielsen data.
In France, the theatrical release was managed by StudioCanal on July 21, 2021, under the title Bloody Milkshake. The German release was initially scheduled for September 2 but was postponed to December 2, 2021. The United Kingdom and Ireland saw simultaneous theater and Sky Cinema releases on September 17, 2021.
Home media
In France, Gunpowder Milkshake became available digitally on October 21, 2021. This was followed by Blu-ray and DVD releases on November 3 through StudioCanal, distributed by Universal Pictures Vidéo France. The film made its television debut on French channel Canal+ on January 22, 2022, while also being accessible via streaming service MyCanal.
In Germany, StudioCanal released the movie across Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD formats on April 14, 2022. Distribution was handled by Koch Media.
Box office
Globally, the movie earned a total of $1,015,760. In the French market, it debuted alongside films such as Kaamelott: The First Chapter and Space Jam: A New Legacy, generating $63,795 from 103 screens during its opening week and ranking 22nd in box office standings. The cumulative box office revenue in France reached $76,803.
Critical response
According to the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Gunpowder Milkshake has a 60% approval rating based on 164 critiques, with an average rating of 5.9 out of 10. The general consensus describes it as a "brutal blast" featuring compelling visuals but lacking depth. On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 47 out of 100 from 28 reviewers, reflecting "mixed or average" opinions.
The movie received commendations for its female-led action sequences and distinctive stylistic choices. Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times awarded it 3 out of 4 stars, emphasizing its exaggerated style and strong ensemble cast. Cody Corrall from the Chicago Reader gave it 2.5 out of 4 stars, acknowledging the energetic performances despite inconsistent visual effects. Owen Gleiberman of Variety characterized it as a film catering to specific audience preferences. Benjamin Lee of The Guardian rated it 3 out of 5 stars, describing it as a polished thriller with somewhat cartoon-like qualities. John Anderson from The Wall Street Journal praised its stylish chaos and familiar storyline appealing to genre enthusiasts. Caroline Siede of The A.V. Club assigned a B grade, lauding the chemistry among the female leads while noting there was more potential to be explored within the cast.
Sequel
On April 30, 2021, Deadline Hollywood announced that The Picture Company and StudioCanal were in the process of developing a follow-up film. StudioCanal officially confirmed this sequel on July 6, 2021, during its 30th anniversary event held in Cannes.