Entertaining

Rating: 8/10 (2 May 2010)

Grier, a star of "blaxploitation" films of the 1970s, is back in this tribute to such films, playing the title role of a flight attendant who becomes a pawn between the police and a notorious arms dealer. In adapting the Elmore Leonard novel, Tarantino shows himself to be an expert story-teller, keeping the film consistently entertaining despite the long running time. Considering the film's theme and the director's obsession with violence, this one is surprisingly and refreshingly restrained on that front. The interesting characters are fleshed out by an excellent cast, with Forster particularly impressive in an understated performance as a lonely, middle-aged bail bondsman.