Taron Egerton (“Rocketman”) and Ana Sophia Heger star in “She Rides Shotgun,” which premiered in theaters on August 1st via Lionsgate.
This vivacious action thriller was directed by BAFTA-nominated filmmaker Nick Rowland. Rob Yang and John Carroll Lynch also star.
Egerton portrays Nate, a former prisoner who was recently released and he is trying to protect his daughter, 11-year-old Polly (played by a precocious Ana Sophia Heger), while the two of them evade Nate’s “unrelenting enemies.”
Presently, Nate must guard Polly at all costs. She is shy and wary of her father, and is inevitably swept up in Nate’s dangerous plight as they flee to evade the corrupt sheriff and brutal leader of a gang who will stop at nothing to protect his criminal interests.
With scant resources and no one to trust, Nate and Polly form a bond forged under fire as he shows her how to fight and survive — and she teaches him what unconditional love truly means.
In “She Rides Shotgun,” Egerton is able to pull off the most vulnerable and grittiest acting performance of his career; he layers his emotions well and his work is subtle, unflinching, and intricate yet intense.
With Ana Sophia Heger, it is evident that a star is born. She delivers a tour de force breakout performance that will be talked about for years. It feels like watching “Winter’s Bone” all over again, and Ana Sophia Heger is our Jennifer Lawrence meets Dakota Fanning.
It is only a matter of time before Heger starts scoring her own Emmy, Golden Globe, Critics Choice, and Oscar nominations in her own right.
Heger’s affecting rapport with Egerton allows for more resonance. It’s a poignant tale about resilience, tenacity, faithfulness, and redemption.
Without giving anything away, it has an ending that viewers will not want to miss.
The Verdict
Overall, “She Rides Shotgun” is a high-adrenaline, pulse-pounding, and compelling thriller. It will certainly keep viewers at the edge of their seats. It has a retro vibe to it, encompassing elements of “Road to Perdition” with the quintessential action movies of the ’80s and ’90s.
Nick Rowland deserves to be commended for expertly shooting this project, and for taking the audience on a wild and bumpy ride with him. If there is one thriller that people see this summer, it ought to be “She Rides Shotgun.”
Strong performances led by Egerton and Heger gives this movie its beating heart; moreover, there is a rawness and authenticity to this story like no other. “She Rides Shotgun” garners an A rating. Well done.
