PEPPERMINT is another superior Hollywood action thriller, heavily influenced by the likes of JOHN WICK and all the better for it. Jennifer Garner - experienced in the genre with the likes of ALIAS and ELECTRA - plays an ordinary housewife and mother whose life is transformed after a family tragedy. After a five-year gap, she returns gunning for revenge to become one of cinema's better heroines in recent years. Although PEPPERMINT doesn't have a wealth of action scenes, the characters and storyline are interesting enough for this to work. There's a level of stark brutality to the movie that gives it a layer of gritty realism, and thankfully Pierre Morel retains the crisp roving cinematography he brought to the likes of TAKEN and THE GUNMAN.

Riley North (Jennifer Garner) and her husband Chris are struggling working class suburban parents. Chris turns down a robbery scheme against ruthless drug lord Diego Garcia. He and his daughter are shot down in a drive by as the drug lord uncovers the failed plan. The three thugs escape justice in a corrupt trial. Five years later, Riley returns to L.A. to set up base on skid row. She's on a mission to kill all who wronged her family and take down Diego Garcia.

When the judge dismissed the case, I had to clap in ridicule. It's staged like the criminals had bought out the entire courtroom. There is no reality and no subtlety. Along with Riley becoming Rambo, those are the most problematic aspects of this movie. Riley should have been a retired assassin or a former soldier instead of simply a harried suburban mom. As for her kills, it would be so much more compelling for her to kill each one of the thugs in succession. The movie spends time showing off these thugs but they mostly get killed off screen. The kill sequencing should be the thugs, the judge, and the defense lawyer. She recovers the lawyer's files and a detailed map of the criminal organization. At which point, she can go after Diego Garcia. As a basic Deathwish idea, there is nothing wrong with a vigilante B-action thriller. It's the execution that is the problem.

Because I am very fond of Jennifer Garner, I easily agreed when my cousin suggested we see this movie It was directed by Pierre Morel, who also directed The Transporter and Taken, so I went in expecting to see a lot of mindless ass-whupping done in a cinematically interesting although barely believable style, and that's what I got.

The story, for those of you who think that still matters, is that back when, Miss Garner was married to Chris Noth with a cute daughter. Money was tight, and he phoned his friend saying No,I'm not going to help you steal from the drug kingpin" to his answering machine. Apparently, even thinking about such things can get you killed, which happens to Noth and the little girl.

Miss Garner identifies the killers, but the judge dismisses, so she goes away and come back, looking for vengeance or, as she puts it, "justice." This, of course, involves much blood and many things that go boom.

Miss Garner actually limps after being shot, and in the alternate universe in which she lives, Internet comments use the word "alleged" when talking about gang bangers.

It's certainly not a great movie, but Miss Garner, despite her talent, has placed herself on the movie actress' equivalent of "midlist author." I expect she will continue to star in this sort of movie, support in others, and have a very satisfactory career.