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A spin-off from 2003's lame-duck superhero movie Daredevil, Elektra sees Jennifer Garner as a ruthless assassin with a troubled conscience, plus a wardrobe full of revealing but impractical outfits and lovely flyaway hair. The plot, such as it is, pits our heroine against a syndicate of evil ninjas, who are bent on some sort of ill-defined evil ninja stuff. It's shockingly dull for a popcorn flick, and only ardent fans of the comic are likely to enjoy it.

The main problem with Elektra the film, is Elektra the character. She's one of those tortured'n'brooding super-heroines, thrown out of kung fu school, parents killed before her very eyes - you know the drill. As a result, she's a po-faced bore, preferring flashbacks to wisecracks. She's got heightened perceptions, finely honed butt-kicking skills and moves so fast that she can't get out of bed without a whooshing noise. But unfortunately the absurdly talky script traps her in a lakeside cabin for simply ages, getting cosy with hunky Mark Millar (Goran Visnjic) and his teenage daughter, while defending them from ninja attacks.

"MORE LIKE A MEATLOAF VIDEO THAN A SCRAP"

The fights, when they turn up, are noisy and charmless. The final showdown especially is a mess of billowing sheets and Gothic architecture that looks more like a Meatloaf video than a scrap. And while Garner's bouncy-castle lips are extraordinary - they seem to follow you around the room - not even the plumpest of kissers can stop Terence Stamp stealing the movie as her Yoda-esque mentor.