Unfortunately, Jolt is not episode 1 of the Soda Pop Cinematic Universe (sequels, of course, being PepsiMan, 2 Mountain Dew Furious, and Coca: Cola: The Medellin Years). Instead, it’s an equally pulpy bunch of tomfoolery that ekes by on the performance of its stars… and some of its action… and some of its tone.

Jolt stars Kate Beckinsale as a woman with chronic rage issues that, after a lifetime’s worth of therapies, settles on a vest that she can use to self-jolt herself back to rationality (as presented to her by her therapist played by Stanley Tucci). When she meets a man (Jai Courtney) who isn’t afraid of her and who makes her feel normal, she’s crushed when he vanishes and she has to go on a murderous rampage.

Kate Beckinsale is fun here playing a Manic Psycho Dreamgirl. You could argue she’s someone’s idea of a Mary Sue… just a woman in the world who isn’t taking crap from absolutely anyone. The way the author might want to walk the streets with a chip on her shoulder. And that’s fair… but I think Beckinsale brings enough arch humor to the crazy stuff that goes on around her and in her head to make it work.

Because she’s doing a lot of heavy lifting. The movie is otherwise ok, sometimes sliding towards try-hard status. Like it saw other hyper-kinetic action films and said, “I can do that too”. And sometimes it achieves that goal… sometimes not. It’s a hyper tone on a spectrum…. it’s not Crank: High Voltage, for example, but it tap dances on that line.

I think overall this is a pretty decent movie that makes it over the finish line with a game performance by Beckinsale. She’s clearly having more fun here than when she’s poured into latex and leather in an Underworld movie. And she’s a more approachable character… even if she’s a complete lunatic 50% of the time. I think this movie is good enough fun.

Score: 76