'Red Sonja' Review: Matilda Lutz Gets Feral in M J Bassetts Take on the Marvel Comic Heroine
- Shauna Bushe
- Sep 19
- 2 min read
By Shauna Bushe - September 19, 2025
The 2025 Red Sonja film follows a barbarian huntress played by Matilda Lutz who seeks revenge against the tyrannical Emperor Dragan (Robert Sheehan) after he attacks her village. Captured and forced into gladiator fights, Sonja rallies fellow captives to lead a rebellion and eventually confronts Dragan.
M. J. Bassett’s rendition of Red Sonja is well-intentioned, but fundamentally an uneven reboot. Following the well-established blueprint, the escapist adventure evolves with cheesy b-movie energy, accented by gorgeous landscapes and a passionate main lead. However, it also suffers from inconsistent pacing, shallow character development and disappointing dialogue.
Back in the 80’s and 90’s shows that shared this period of time such as Xena: The Warrior Princess, Conan the Adventurer and Highlander were a resounding success, fast forward to today with advanced, broader filming resources it unfortunately failed to capture their essence. The chemistry between characters feels odd, lacking the passion leaving interactions feeling emotionally empty. The cosplay almost looks cheap, and expectations aren’t met with the same punch these fantasy adventure movies usually deliver.
Worldbuilding, Monsters, and Moments of Charm
Nonetheless, though significantly flawed, Bassett does a lot with what she’s given. The worldbuilding is intriguing, the monsters are big and scary, specifically the huge Cyclops. It has sorcery and elements of compelling tragic backstories blended with corny satire. If you can look past the obviously limited budget, there is a lot of effort to enjoy.
Matilda Lutz (Revenge) is the titular character and pretty much saves this film from being a complete blunder. Bringing with her an impressive physical dexterity and a compassionate approach to the characters nature. Nevertheless, even with her delicate touch towards the animals and the forest environment, she is force not to be reckoned with and releases a guttural growl when she is ready for battle. Alongside her are some familiar faces – Rhona Mitra (Doomsday, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans) Robert Sheehan (Misfits, Umbrella Academy), and Luke Pasqualino (Skins). Ill-fated as cannon fodder they naturally fail to make any lasting impression.
Final Verdict: Cult Classic or Missed Opportunity?
In a nutshell this readaptation is going to either be a strong hit or a lost cause, that all depends on its audience. If you don’t mind a film that looks silly, is predictable and enjoy your leading women covered in blood then this is a contender for your watchlist.
'Red Sonja' is available now on digital platforms, find it on Prime Video.
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