Families can talk about the amount of violence in Gunpowder Milkshake. How did it make you feel? How does it help or hinder the film's story? What's the impact of media violence on kids? The film's production was announced at the American Film Market in 2018. Casting announcements were made throughout 2019, starting with Gillan in January, and principal photography took place from June to August 2019 in Berlin. It is a co-production between The Picture Company, Babelsberg Studio and StudioCanal's German branch with the participation of French television channels Canal+ and Ciné+.

In February 2020, STXfilms acquired distribution rights to the film in the United States. [20] In April 2021, Netflix bought the American distribution rights from STXfilms. [21] Gunpowder Milkshake was released on Netflix in the United States, Canada, and the Nordic countries on July 14, 2021. [22] In the United States, it also received a simultaneous limited theatrical release. It was the most watched film of the week in the country upon its release, according to Nielsen. [23] Kroll, Justin (June 5, 2019). " 'The Terror' Star Adam Nagaitis Joins 'Gunpowder Milkshake' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Retrieved June 24, 2019. Fleming, Mike Jr. (April 30, 2021). "Franchise Fever! Netflix Lands U.S. Rights To 'Gunpowder Milkshake' From STX & Studiocanal". Deadline Hollywood. Wiseman, Andreas (February 24, 2020). "EFM Big Deal: STX Splashes On Starry Female Assassin Pic 'Gunpowder Milkshake' With Karen Gillan, Lena Headey, Michelle Yeoh, Angela Bassett, More". Deadline Hollywood. Picard, Sylvestre (May 25, 2021). "Karen Gillan et Lena Headey flingueuses de mère en fille dans le trailer de Bloody Milkshake". Première (in French) . Retrieved August 16, 2023.

Gunpowder Milkshake uses voiceover narration to introduce Sam (Gillan), an assassin who works for the nebulously powerful, all-male organization the Firm. “They’ve been running things for a long, long time,” Sam says, and she and her handler Nathan (Paul Giamatti) have been killing people for them for 15 years, since her mother Scarlet (Headey), also an assassin for the Firm, left her behind. Their rain-soaked, purple-lit parting took place at a diner Sam still frequents for its milkshakes after she murders her latest target, sews up her injuries, and further cultivates her terrifying reputation. But after a job goes wrong one night and she kills someone unexpected, her life begins to unravel. The feminism- My problem here isn't that the film is feminist, it is that it thinks its audience is so stupid that it needs to club us over the head with it. All of the good guys are girls and all of the bad guys are men. I think the best example of the heavy-handedness of this is the villains motive. Throughout the movie we know he's mad because the main character, Sam, killed his son. This is already an understandable villain motive. It doesn't need any more context really. But the movie adds the context that the villain feels like an alien among his wife and daughters and his son was the only one he could relate to because of their shared manliness. So now the villain is sexist, but it's just shoe-horned in. It's not built up at all, he just goes on a sexist rant about his annoying wife and daughters randomly. Anderson, John (2021-07-14). " 'Gunpowder Milkshake' Review: Stylish Mayhem". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved 2021-07-19.

The project was announced during the annual American Film Market in April 2018, with StudioCanal and The Picture Company procuring the rights to the film. [5] In January 2019, Karen Gillan was cast in the film. [6] In February, Lena Headey was cast, with Angela Bassett joining in April, and Paul Giamatti, Michelle Yeoh, Carla Gugino and Ivan Kaye joining in May. [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] In June 2019, Adam Nagaitis, Ralph Ineson and Chloe Coleman joined the cast of the film. [13] [14] [15] Filming began on June 3, 2019, and finished on August 20, 2019, [16] in Berlin. [17] Music [ edit ] Ritman, Alex (July 6, 2021). "Cannes: StudioCanal Unveils Film, TV Slate, Sets 'Paddington 3' Production Date". The Hollywood Reporter. I hurried to buy it from Italy last year, thinking it won't get any special releases, but Germany had a UHD disc, and now there's a mediabook coming. Fleming, Mike Jr. (February 6, 2019). " 'Game Of Thrones' Lena Headey To Star In 'Gunpowder Milkshake' ". Deadline Hollywood.Do they redeem a bizarre ending that unnecessarily absolves Sam of any wrongdoing, but of course leaves open room for a sequel? They do not. But when Gunpowder Milkshake has so few successes, Headey’s half-smirk, Bassett’s exasperated line deliveries, Gugino’s set jaw as she steps behind a mounted machine gun, and Yeoh’s effortlessly cool eyepatch-wearing will have to do. Swear words including "hell," "f--k," "f--king," "s--t," "f--ked," "smartass," bitch," "goddammit," "bastards," "a--hole." Exclamatory use of words like "Christ" and "for God's sake." Words that could be considered ableist, such as "morons," "idiots," "dum-dums," "duh." Dolby TrueHD/Atmos Audio German 3995 kbps 7.1 / 48 kHz / 3355 kbps / 16-bit (AC3 Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps) Kit, Borys (January 8, 2019). "Karen Gillan to Star in Assassin Action Movie 'Gunpowder Milkshake' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.

With all that being said, there are moments of bloody fun that can be enjoyed. There's a middle portion of the movie that gave me hope the film had transformed. At one point, Sam is indisposed and unable to use her arms, which dangle without any muscle control. She's about to be beset by angry if bruised bad guys and must plan what to do. The resulting clash is a burst of creative choreography and an excellent demonstration of Sam's resourcefulness and drive. Watching her dispatch a dozen armed men so indifferently, always knowing where and when to turn and dodge is not nearly as entertaining or engaging as watching her struggle and solve a problem. This sequence is extended and makes clever use of its location and the elements that would be available. Then we go a step further, as Sam and her youngster must drive a car to flee except the uncontrollable arm problem persists. Sam will pump the pedals and give directions while Emily sits on her lap and turns the steering wheel. This made me excited. We had organic complications and potential solutions that involved both characters having to rely upon one another. That is solid screenwriting and finding a way to spice up an ordinary parking garage chase sequence. By the end of this sequence, my hopes started to dwindle because Sam reverted to her earlier super cool, impervious version. She knew every exact move to make, and the small-scale car chase started losing my interest even with the extra driving dynamic. I wish the filmmakers could analyze how these sequences differed to better harness that creative surge. Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close Dolby TrueHD/Atmos Audio English 3974 kbps 7.1/ 48 kHz / 3334 kbps / 16-bit (AC3 Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps) Hide your gays trope- Now I could be off-base on this one, but I think they were hinting at a romance between two of the library women. However, we don't see it in screen. If this was an implied romance it definitely falls under the same criticism that J.K Rowling and other writers have received for having gay characters but being too afraid to actually show their love. If you want to have gay characters don't cloak it in this mystery like it's a dirty little secret.

Lots of killing, including via exaggerated gun violence, decapitation, stabbings, grenade/car explosions, and hand-to-hand combat. Violence also includes breaking bones and dislocated body parts, a person being tased, gunshots, and a knife cut to the cheek. A moment of body horror includes Sam stitching up a wound on her arm.

On December 16, 2019, it was announced that Frank Ilfman was hired to compose the film's score. [18] The score album was released on July 14, 2021, by Milan Records. [19] Release [ edit ] Netflix and theatrical [ edit ]

Amid all of the action is the message that having compassion can prevent you from hurting others and lead you toward a more courageous path. Also, it takes courage to protect others, even if it means putting yourself at risk. And protecting what's important can take teamwork with like-minded people. Frank Ilfman to Score Navot Papushado's 'Gunpowder Milkshake' ". Film Music Reporter. December 16, 2019. Fleming, Mike Jr. (April 23, 2018). "Studiocanal, Picture Co Land 'Gunpowder Milkshake'; Next Pic For 'Big Bad Wolves' Aharon Keshales & Navot Papushado". Deadline Hollywood. Predictably, we’re left with an open ending, the prospect of more to come on the way, a new series waiting to be milked. There are certainly worse potential franchises on the horizon but next time, it would be nice if there was something a little unexpected added to the blender. If everyone is super cool, and super deadly, and super nonchalant, then you need to put even more work into making the characters stand apart. They'll need specific quirks, competing goals, faults and obsessions, some key nub of characterization even if its superficial (a guy with one eye he's insecure about it, etc.). With Gunpowder Milkshake, there's nothing to work with. The screenwriters made this so much harder on themselves. I guess we're merely supposed to be won over by the casting and the imagery of these bad ladies holding powerful weaponry. The protagonist is boring. She is the familiar hired killer who grows an inconvenient conscience. That's an acceptable starting point but the moral growth is hindered when her young charge, the little girl that forces her paradigm shift, wants to be her apprentice to learn to kill people. The fraught mother/daughter relationship resorts to a lot of "I didn't want this life for you,""It's the only life I've known" roundabout conversations, and neither furthers our understanding of either side.