Milla Jovovich has fought aliens in The Fifth Element and zombies in Resident Evil. In Protector, she is fighting to save her daughter in one of her “most physically and emotionally draining films” yet. In the action thriller, she is a soldier who wants to reconnect with her daughter. That is cut short when her teenage child is kidnapped.

“Well, number one, it was one of the most physically and emotionally draining films I’ve ever made,” Jovovich tells Nerd Reactor. “Because this subject matter is so real, I really wanted to portray the character with as much realism and make her as grounded as possible. When it came to the action sequences, I really wanted to make sure that it wasn’t overly CGI.

“There is a bit of an overwhelm with how much is fake in movies, and this movie is all practical. I mean, really, there’s hardly any CGI in it. It goes back to the old-school way of doing things, like you’re doing your stunts, you’re getting the practical makeup.”

Portraying the daughter is Isabel Myers (Mixed-ish), who has an estranged relationship with her mother in Protector. Her wanting to spend her birthday with her friends turns into a dangerous night.

“She really gives her all when the cameras are on,” Myers says about Jovovich. “And when the cameras cut, she’s a really good friend and a great scene partner as well. We collaborated a lot, writing dialogue and making things flow a lot more, making things natural because that was really important for me. She was willing to do that, and we really made it a great experience.”

About Protector

Synopsis: Nikki (Milla Jovovich), a veteran war hero, thought she’d left her violent past behind for a peaceful life with her daughter, Chloe – until Chloe is kidnapped by a human trafficking ring that forces Nikki into the city’s criminal underworld on a relentless pursuit. As she tears through a ruthless crime syndicate using her military training, Nikki draws the attention of both the police and the military, shooting her to the top of the most wanted list. In this high-stakes race against time, Nikki must use the violent skills she thought she left behind to save her daughter.

The film is directed by Adrian Grünberg and written by Bong-Seob Mun.

It stars Milla Jovovich, Isabel Myers, Manny Montana, Michael Stahl-David, Lydia Hull, D.B. Sweeney, Chase E. Kim, Don Harvey, Gabriel Sloyer, Texas Battle, Arica Himmel and Matthew Modine.

Protector releases in theaters on March 6, 2026.