Red Sonja Review – Matilda Lutz Leads a New Take on the Warrior Icon That Struggles to Hit the Mark
Coming after the famously campy 1985 version with Brigitte Nielsen and Arnold Schwarzenegger, expectations were modest — yet this iteration still manages to underwhelm.
MJ Bassett’s Red Sonja revives the sword-and-sorcery heroine for a new generation, but despite its star Matilda Lutz’s impressive athleticism and charisma, the film struggles to rise above its uneven production and undercooked storytelling. Coming after the famously campy 1985 version with Brigitte Nielsen and Arnold Schwarzenegger, expectations were modest — yet this iteration still manages to underwhelm.
The Bottom Line:
Physically committed lead, but the story and tone fail to excite.
Release: Limited one-night theatrical event, then VOD
Cast: Matilda Lutz, Robert Sheehan, Luca Pasqualino, Rhona Mitra, Wallis Day, Veronica Ferres
Director: MJ Bassett
Screenwriter: Tasha Huo
A Warrior in an Absurd World
From the start, Red Sonja leans heavily into fantasy tropes. Sonja enjoys a peaceful forest life with her horse and CGI prehistoric creatures — a whimsical but uninspired opening — until she is captured by the ostentatiously named Emperor Dragan the Magnificent (Robert Sheehan). Alongside a group of fellow captives, including her would-be love interest Osin the Untouched (Luca Pasqualino), Sonja is forced into gladiatorial-style combat for her captors’ amusement.
The film attempts to balance traditional fantasy action with hints of feminist and ecological messaging, but the script rarely rises above clichés. Dialogue often veers toward the unintentionally laughable: one scene has Sonja telling Osin, “Stay alive, Prince Osin of Shem. One day I will claim my prize,” while the emperor promises his paramour that capturing Sonja’s head will make her empress. Moments like these underline the film’s tonal inconsistencies.
Fighting Spirit Meets Cheesy Spectacle
Fans of sword-and-sorcery movies come for the action, and Red Sonja delivers in that department. Lutz performs a series of physically demanding fight sequences, including a climactic, apocalyptic battle amid rain and raging fires. She even survives a brutal stomach wound thanks to an intervention from her ethereal mother, played by Veronica Ferres.
Lutz lacks the towering presence of Nielsen, but her agility, martial skill, and expressive acting keep her performance engaging. She handles the ridiculous situations with as much gravity as possible, though even her talents are stretched thin during the film’s attempts at emotional depth — particularly a late revelation that Dragan isn’t inherently evil, but a product of childhood trauma. The scene falls flat, failing to add the psychological nuance the filmmakers seem to aspire to.
Visuals and Production Values
The movie suffers from the constraints of its modest budget, often feeling more like a cable television production than a fully realized cinematic epic. The CGI is serviceable but occasionally underwhelming, and the long running time doesn’t help maintain momentum. Still, the costume design and set pieces — from chainmail bikinis to fiery battlefields — give the film a clear fantasy identity, even if the impact is diminished by uneven execution.
Bassett’s Red Sonja earns credit for featuring a physically capable, self-aware female hero and sprinkling in some modern sensibilities about empowerment and environmental awareness. Yet, the film’s low-budget feel, clunky dialogue, and uneven tonal shifts prevent it from fully engaging. While Lutz is a capable and compelling lead, the story around her fails to spark excitement, leaving a new take on an iconic warrior that is ultimately more cheesy than thrilling.