The selling point isn’t that Haywire is ‘Hanna with pubic hair’. It’s that Haywire is an action thriller directed by Stephen Soderbergh. Which is why I’m surprised and frankly disappointed that the trailer doesn’t bring attention to that. What it does bring attention to is the great cast of characters surrounding leading lady and mixed martial arts tough dame Gina Carano. Michael Douglas looking like Michael Douglas in every movie since 2005, Ewan McGregor with short hair looking all suave, Michael Fassbender looking great and then apparently dying, Bill Paxton playing a fatherly sort, Channing Tatum doing a base thug role that is more suited to his skills, and Antonio Banderas still looking fuckable with a salt & pepper beard.

It looks like a thriller, but to my aging eyes it’s (dig the poster to the right) an event film. An event film in January. Because Steven Soderbergh is special and to see him do a film in this (albeit tired as hell) genre is exciting. He’s also seeming to enjoy plucking interesting women from different industries (porn, MMA) and putting them into movie, which is admirable. It gives me hope for a romantic comedy with Chuck Liddell and Lily Thai.

Watch it. Enjoy it. Then move on with your day.