The writing is notably wooden, though the cast is skilled enough this may not register straight away. Once the penny drops, the film becomes a rather fascinating study in all the tricks actors use to bring routine dialogue to life.

I guess we've arrived at the point where even movie titles are dogwhistles?

The tedious thriller starring Michael Ealy and Hilary Swank adds nothing new to the genre of female psycho movies...

Despite being frequently absurd and illogical, there’s something pleasurably trashy about Fatale. It is quite watchable and the exploration of race, while frequently verging on stereotypical, expands the scope of the subgenre in intriguing directions.