Movie

Last Run (2001)

This post-Cold War spy thriller is as routine as they come, but still offers action aplenty. And the primary antagonist, Kerlov, is a deadly Russian sniper and mistress of disguise rolled into one. Frank Banner (Armand Assante) is a former extraction specialist who led a failed mission during the last days of the Soviet Union. A fellow agent – his wife – was killed during that operation, so Banner is not eager about returning to the field. That’s until an ex-colleague falls victim to the nemesis sniper, giving Banner the opportunity for payback.

Get used to dead bodies, because many supporting characters – and a high percentage of the main cast – bite the dust. All the spy tropes are in force: items concealed in bibles (twice!), ambiguous motives, shifting allegiances, and impersonations. Any espionage fan will feel right at home. Except for the sniper (who goes missing for the entire middle act), the villains are forgettable. Middlemen in suits and a politician seen only on TV are hardly formidable opposition.

Banner’s mission to extract former KGB agent Bukarin (Jürgen Prochnow) takes him from Austria to Ukraine, with attractive scenery along the way. A pleasant distraction while we wait for Kerlov’s return, and lots of potential vantage points for a lurking sniper. Camera shots of high windows and church steeples suggest an imminent attack. These are bluffs, and the grand confrontation doesn’t happen until the last ten minutes.

Villainess

Kerlov (Viki Kiss, Edit Illés)

No mistake – two actresses play the female villain, and even share a curly bracket on the end credits. One could be an action stunt double or another performer to portray Kerlov in disguise, and it’s unclear who the lead is. Hence, I’ve credited both on my ranking list.

The female assassin makes an impact during the opening sequence, gunning down Banner’s team and the love of his life from an apartment window. During this attack, the sniper is masked, and it’s not obvious she’s a female. This unseen villain tactic continues into the next sequence, where a former colleague approaches Banner in a cemetery, and they are targeted by their old foe.

The shootout among the tombstones is suitably dramatic and well staged, with Kerlov disguised as a priest. The sniper’s weapon is superior at long range, but Banner uses cover to close the gap. With this still being early on, the shooter vanishes, leaving only shell casings behind. It’s then that the “priest” discards their cap and cloak to reveal long hair and a woman’s bra. Before that, we’d been given mild hints such as smooth hands loading a sniper rifle, but now Kerlov is confirmed to be female. Like any decent tough girl, she rides a motorcycle and makes a speedy getaway.

The next encounter comes within a few minutes, when the assassin disguises herself as a policeman (the gender flip is intentional) and attacks from a speedboat. Banner gets within range this time, but Kerlov eludes him once again. After all that excitement, viewers hoping for a film-long duel will be sorely disappointed. In fact, we only see the disguised assassin once before the finale: when she watches Banner in a restaurant. Instead of a latex mask, she adopts a spectacled “Clark Kent” approach to remain incognito.

Kerlov is masked for the final shootout, and her face covering suggests a stunt double. The action is amateurish, and people stand in the open waiting for the roaming sniper to pick them off. Bukarin joins the long casualty list, leaving Banner to chase and fight the assassin alone. Long-distance shots make the encounter feel anticlimactic, and there’s an obvious actress switch when Banner unmasks his foe. First, Kerlov is a brown-haired woman, then a brunette wearing a white wig.

Banner quickly disarms Kerlov, who’s swapped her rifle for a combat knife, and drops the villainess off a rooftop. Usually there’s a body shot to confirm the kill in moments like this, but the camera remains on the hero.

Honourable Mention: Snipers

Dragon Heat (2005) – Yuet (Maggie Q)

A shootout with the hero in a cemetery. Sound familiar? Rest assured that Maggie Q’s turn as a deadly sharpshooter is well worth a watch. The plot is straightforward: a team of cops against an equally well-trained criminal group. A microfilm contains financial information, but the plot device is barely mentioned. It’s an excuse for blood and bullets, and a series of one-on-one battles.

Character backgrounds are established with flashback images, which become distracting once shown multiple times. Many action regulars feature, including Sammo Hung and Michael Biehn. The unnecessary drama sections drag on, but the combat set pieces are relentless. Early on, the masked gang attacks a police convoy. Yuet makes only a fleeting appearance, but things improve quickly. The villainess is proficient in martial arts (she is played by Maggie Q) and kicks ass in a nightclub.

Since there’s a sniper on the police team, it’s no surprise he and Yuet go head to head. The first of two epic encounters takes place in an alleyway and on the overlooking rooftops, with casualties on both sides. Maggie Q has a great screen presence and knows how to sell an action role, so it’s little wonder the DVD cover features her prominently. There’s a glorious moment where a policewoman acts all tough and blows away a baddie, only for Yuet to show her who the most dangerous female is.

Then comes the final confrontation in a cemetery. For the battle of wits and accuracy, Yuet strips down to a combat vest and screams furiously as she charges headlong into battle. The cop emerges the victor and kills his foe with a close-range shot. Then another cutaway to past images ruins the villainess’ death scene.