Wingwomen (2023)
Director: Mélanie Laurent
Screenwriters: Cédric Anger, Chris Deslandes
Starring: Mélanie Laurent, Adéle Exarchapoulos, Isabelle Adjani, Manon Bresch
In the early 2000s, before the blockbuster superhero era dominated cinemas, there was a popular wave of breezy action comedies built around charming central friendships. Films like Charlie’s Angels, Shanghai Noon and Ocean’s Eleven fit that mold: entertaining, light, and anchored by the chemistry between leads. Now, as mainstream appetite for comic-book franchises softens, Mélanie Laurent’s 2023 film Wingwomen looks back to that era, attempting to revive the buddy-action spirit with a contemporary twist.
The movie opens with a playful training-style sequence that establishes tone more than plot. We meet Carole (Mélanie Laurent), the steady, measured half of the partnership, and Alex (Adéle Exarchapoulos), the impulsive, chaotic counterpart. They are chased through a forest by military drones while Carole pilots a quad bike and Alex shoots from the back, all the while complaining about her latest romantic frustrations. The scene is campy and cheeky, but it succeeds because the two leads instantly feel authentic and engaging.
What makes Wingwomen work from the outset is the relationship at its core. Carole and Alex have a dynamic rooted in classic comic duos—one organised, the other disordered—but their bond is written with warmth and realism. Their banter and mutual dependence make them compelling even when the surrounding spectacle falters. They could be handling a heist or simply painting a wall; the emotional truth of their friendship would still hold the audience.
The film leans into role reversal at times: Carole faces challenges that would be expected from Alex, and Alex offers the hard-won perspective that helps Carole navigate those moments. Alex’s messy exterior hides a capacity for selflessness and care that gives their partnership real depth. That reciprocity—both women filling gaps for each other—creates much of the film’s emotional payoff.
Where the film begins to struggle is in its world-building and plot choices. Early on, both characters express a desire for ordinary lives, a thread that feels promising and ripe for exploration because the characters themselves are so engaging. Instead of fully pursuing that quieter, character-driven path, the script introduces a succession of high-tech devices and action set pieces that feel underdeveloped and often disposable.
Gimmicks appear—retina-scanned bunkers concealed by reflective surfaces, advanced military drones, and other sci-fi touches—that are visually striking in the moment but are rarely explained or integrated meaningfully into the story. These elements furnish excitement but leave little lasting impression because they exist chiefly to justify action beats. The richer, more satisfying part of the film remains the friendship between Carole and Alex; everything else often feels like decoration.
Technically, the movie feels uneven. There are sequences of striking cinematography that recall the careful framing of upscale thrillers, where a single image conveys atmosphere and character as effectively as dialogue. Those moments show the director’s visual sensibility at its best. Yet other sequences appear cluttered or gimmicky—an impromptu musical moment, for example, that arrives suddenly and disappears without adding emotional weight or advancing the plot. The contrast between the film’s quieter, intimate strengths and its louder, less disciplined flourishes is pronounced.
Despite the inconsistencies, the film’s heart is undeniable. Carole and Alex are vividly drawn and sympathetically acted; their chemistry is the engine that carries the audience through the movie’s weaker stretches. When the focus stays on their relationship—its contradictions, compromises and mutual care—the film finds its clearest voice. The problem is that those moments are frequently drowned out by set pieces that aim for spectacle but lack the narrative or emotional justification to matter.
Seen as a throwback to the early-2000s buddy-action genre, Wingwomen largely succeeds in spirit if not in execution. It convincingly captures the rapport and banter that made that era’s films enjoyable, and it benefits enormously from two central performances that feel lived-in and sincere. If the trend toward character-led action comedies returns, this film suggests that the strongest entries will be those that prioritize relationships over flashy concepts. Wingwomen offers a promising example of that approach, even if it doesn’t fully realize its potential.
Score: 12/24
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Written by Rob Jones
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