Zoe Saldana in 'Colombiana': What the Critics Are Saying

Zoe Saldana stars with Amandla Stenberg and Michael Vartan in Olivier Megaton's Colombiana, a film about a woman who grows up to be an assassin after witnessing her parent's murder as a child (in theaters Friday). 

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'Colombiana' Trailer (Video)

Colombiana: Film Review

And, while the action-packed movie is receiving mixed reviews, critics seem to be unanimous in their fascination with the lithe actress' figure ... rather than her acting.  

VIDEO: Zoe Saldana Kicks Butt in 'Colombiana' Fight Vignette

"There are guilty pleasures to be had in this frenzied B starring Zoe Saldana (Avatar, Star Trek), who gives an acrobatic performance that makes the overcooked material watchable, if not entirely enjoyable." says The Hollywood Reporter reviewer Jordan Mintzer. 

Saldana is "dressed and shot to emphasize her sylvan frame, with its endless thighs and tidy derriere, and she steals across rooftops and wriggles through ventilator shafts with aplomb, like Feuillade’s Irma Vep crossed with Besson’s la femme Nikita," says the New York Times. "But Saldana’s thinness is also alarming: You say, “Yowza!” and then, “Yikes!” In close-up, she’s drawn and hollow-eyed, with a voice that — even if it’s hers — doesn’t sound as if it’s coming from her head. She’s too listless and strung-out and weirdly disembodied to make you feel much empathy."

VIDEO: Colombiana: Trailer

"Is Saldana the new Schwarzenegger, only leaner, meaner and much better looking in spandex? I think so," writes the LA Times, who gives props to the director for having "hit his stride" with the film. "It helps that Saldana has the body of a model and a fierceness of acting focus; it all combines to make the slick, intense aesthetic work."

Yahoo's review focused on the sexiness of the film, saying, "The catlike Saldana herself kicks butt in little more than tank tops and short-shorts, and prowls around during a thrilling jail hit in the kind of skin-tight body suit she might have worn to do motion-capture work for "Avatar." Her character also likes to suck lollipops while she's cleaning out her guns; again, subtle."

"Much of the viewer's investment will depend on his or her concern for [Saldana's character] Cataleya's  plight, and this is where Saldana's contribution is key," says the Chicago Tribune. "Despite being a ruthless killer with a killer bod and a predilection for skimpy, tight-fitting apparel, she not only exudes sexiness but also generates a certain amount of sympathy."

"For a good chunk of Colombiana, Zoe Saldana’slean frame is, shall we say, exposed, as she also dispenses the baddies, frequently in attire that leaves little to the imagination," opines indie Wire. Adding, "not that I’m complaining; although, some may have an extremely difficult time buying this 100-pound “skinny thing” (if I may) as a vengeful killer."