I have to admit, I am a bit of a Jennifer Lawrence fan girl. I will watch anything she is in and most likely enjoy it. When I first saw the trailer for this movie I was super excited because it contains one of my great loves in life - ballet! I will also watch anything that contains dancing, though I will likely be hyper critical of it because of my background in dance.
I was a bit disappointed at how little dancing was in the movie - it was more of a plot device to introduce us to Dominika Erorova (Jennifer Lawrence) and provide some background for the part of her life we would be drawn into. But the dancing that was in the movie was well done so I will give it props for that. Dominika is injured on stage, and must find another way to support herself and her ailing mother. Her creepy uncle steps in with an offer, and things spiral from there until she is entered into the "sparrow" program.
I enjoy movies with strong female characters, and this movie shows just how strong and smart Dominika is. Her life becomes dangerous and devious, as she plays both sides of the fence between Russia and the American spy she is tasked to manipulate. She is always one step ahead of those around her, and the way the story plays out in the end is magnificent. Along the way there is a lot of brutal violence and psychological torture that is, at times, very difficult to watch. This is part of the reason I gave it a bit of a lower rating, there were scenes that were just too much for me. Although for the most part, I can see why those scenes were included - they really added a depth and seriousness to the story, they were not just violence for violence's sake as you find in so many action movies.
Overall I found the story intriguing, the character of Dominika fascinating and expertly played by Jennifer Lawrence, and I would recommend this movie to anyone with a taste for intrigue and strong stomach for violence.