The Protégé presents itself as a racially diverse film, and in broad strokes, that holds up.

| Original Score: C | Aug 30, 2021

Like Frankenheimer and Forbes before him, Campbell knows what he's doing. The Protégé may not be the director's finest hour, but that doesn't make what he's cooked up any less enjoyable.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 25, 2021

Oscar bait, it ain't - but it's a damn good time.

| Aug 23, 2021

For all the predictability of the film's story, the template is there for something emotionally engaging. Unfortunately, promising subplots are left unpursued, while character notes hang pointlessly in the air.

| Aug 21, 2021

The hard-core action laced with humor and heart proves that the athletic Maggie Q merits more leading roles -- and a prequel with Jackson would be a ton of kick-ass.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 20, 2021

A sporadically stylish, mildly unpredictable and thoroughly violent thriller where the principals seemingly endure at least as much punishment as they dish out.

| Aug 20, 2021

Part bloodbath, part sex comedy, totally botched.

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | Aug 20, 2021

The film is polished and watchable, with a satisfying third-act twist that nicely upends much of what has come before it.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Aug 20, 2021

There's precious little in "The Protégé" that audiences haven't seen before in some form or another, but that's hardly a liability, since the script recombines those familiar elements in such entertaining ways...

| Aug 20, 2021

It's a straightforward genre picture, directed with the trademark sleek clarity of Martin Campbell.

| Original Score: B- | Aug 20, 2021

There's a palpable confidence in the movie's action sequences and slick choreography that helps keep it engaging enough despite the holes in its storytelling.

| Aug 20, 2021

[A] capable but ultimately forgettable late-summer action-thriller.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Aug 20, 2021

Ultimately, Campbell's film fails because it can't decide whether to be cheeky escapism or a thoughtful character study, instead landing in between with something repetitive and too often a little dull.

| Aug 20, 2021

The pleasure of such company isn't enough to compensate for watching a succession of scenes that are like recruitment ads for abattoir work.

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | Aug 20, 2021

So many cliches abound. Do all baddies have to drive shiny black Range Rovers and wear thick gold necklaces over their turtlenecks?

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | Aug 20, 2021

We've seen it all before, often done with more style, a better brand of dark humor and smarter plots.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Aug 20, 2021

Some of Q's action sequences - she did most of her own stunts, despite a recent spine surgery - are a genuine thrill, but they lose their power as the movie gets bogged down in murky plot.

| Original Score: C+ | Aug 20, 2021

"The Protégé" has so many cool elements, so many reasons that it should be better than it is. Chief among them are Maggie Q, Keaton and Jackson. But they can only do so much, and ultimately the film feels flat.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | Aug 20, 2021

Tries so hard to make you think it's smart that its dumbness is impossible to forgive.

| Aug 20, 2021

The Protégé plays with its viewers - if one is up for the game, there are worse ways to spend 109 minutes.

| Aug 20, 2021