Oksana Orlan cements herself as an action movie force of nature in “Dominique”, a ferocious pulse-pounding thrill ride that sees her reteaming with director Michael S. Ojeda. The two previously worked together on the 2018 horror thriller “The Russian Bride”. Their latest collaboration is a pure action spectacle, shaped by Ojeda’s assured style and driven by Orlan’s steely charisma and commanding presence.

Written, directed, and edited by Ojeda, “Dominique” takes a fairly familiar formula and energizes it with its reverence for its setting, the power of its performances, and its ruthless willingness to push the envelope. While the action is undoubtedly the main course, Ojeda puts time and effort into establishing relationships which raise the stakes, especially in the film’s unflinching final act.

Orlan plays the title character, Dominique, a hardened Ukrainian assassin attempting to flee her violent past. Her hopes are to begin a new life off the radar in South America. But while flying over Columbia’s La Guajira desert, her plane is shot down by the local De La Cruz cartel. After crash landing and offing some gun-toting thugs, Orlan travels to the small town of San Lucas where she meets a kindly local named Julio (Sebastian Carvajal).

Julio has looked after his pregnant sister Paulina (Maria del Rosario) and her three children since her husband tragically died of heart attack. He’s also a San Lucas police officer working under the brutally sadistic Chief Santiago (Maurice Compte). Santiago is on the payroll of the cartel and has terrorized the city at the behest of the gang’s matriarch, Gabriela de la Cruz (Marcela Benjumea). Sickened by the department’s savagery, the upright Julio notifies internal affairs to help bring the murderous Santiago to justice.

Julio and his family give Dominique a place to stay until she can secure some wheels which allows Ojeda the time to establish these characters and their circumstances. It’s a crucial ingredient for the story. The kind and hospitable family are fascinated by this statuesque and stoic “gringa”. Meanwhile, despite her best efforts, Dominique develops an attachment to her welcoming hosts. And that puts her on a collision course with Santiago who puts the family in his crosshairs after discovering Julio is working undercover.

Ojeda pulls no punches in depicting Santiago’s brutality, revealing a man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. That realization sets up a jolting mid-point twist that forces Dominique to make a difficult decision. Does she take off before things heat up or does she stay and defend this vulnerable family. You probably know the answer.

The action that follows is kinetic and at times harrowing as Orlan unleashes her fierce physicality to go along with her steel-plated intensity. In many ways her character fits the common one-man-army stereotype. But the actress gives us just enough of a glimpse inside of Dominique’s tough exterior to make her more than a copy-and-paste protagonist. Overall “Dominique” is a terrific showcase for Orlan, from its furious opening to its a bold and gutsy finish. “Dominique” is out now on VOD.

VERDICT – 4 STARS