Although Hollywood is currently entangled with spy stories, not every tryst is satisfying. return to actionThe highly anticipated Netflix spy drama, which marks the return of Cameron Diaz to the silver screen, does its best to draw on various genre clichés but ultimately fails to land a decisive hit. .
|
return to action ★★ (2/4 stars) |
The film comes courtesy of Seth Gordon, producer of many excellent television shows and several less successful films, including identity thief and baywatch. Gordon appears to be digging into his comedy history return to actionThis thriller follows two spies, Emily and Matt, who are forced back into the game after retiring to start a family. Diaz and her co-star Jamie Foxx are both very charming, often delivering their lines with winking sarcasm and endearing expressions. but return to action The tone is too confusing and not actually interesting, which undermines the best efforts of the cast.
The film opens 15 years before the events of the movie, with Emily and Matt sneaking into a party to steal a device called “The Key,” and the action scenes are pretty good. They are led in communications by CIA officer Chuck (Kyle Chandler), who immediately discovers that the two have been sleeping together. Of course, the mission fails, resulting in a horrific plane crash, and somehow Emily looks like she’s ready for Fashion Week. Instead of honoring their end of the bargain or retiring properly, newly pregnant Emily and Matt abscond from the ashes to start a new life under false identities.
Fast forward to the suburbs, where Emily is apparently now selling custom Etsy puzzles. The couple, who have two teenage children, Alice (McKenna Roberts) and Leo (Rylan Jackson), lie about their past, often unconvincingly. Alice also lied, including about her whereabouts on a particular night, which led to Emily and Matt confronting her at the nightclub. Instead of simply walking away with their 14-year-old, fully minor daughter, the pair somehow got into a fight with a group of belligerent men. Footage of the battle was broadcast online, and soon the CIA, MI6, and the criminal gang from which they had stolen the keys realized that the two spies might not have been missing in action.
The rest of the plot from Gordon and his co-writer (Brendan O’Brien) is very convoluted. The family flees to England, where Emily is clearly from, although she has an American accent and no British behavior. The kids discover that their parents have powerful fighting skills during a showdown at a gas station that ends with them all coming to the rescue of Emily’s mom, Ginny (Glenn Close, who should hire Dialect the next time she tries a British accent) Coach’s Manor)) and her young boyfriend Nigel (Jamie Demetriou). Ginny, also a former spy, is now training the hapless Nigel in the arts of espionage, which seems to include mastering darts and acquiring a bulletproof umbrella. There’s also a side story about M16 agent Barron (Andrew Scott, who hopefully gets a decent paycheck from this) that’s largely unnecessary.
Like every spy drama and movie on screen these days, the climax arrives in the heart of London, taking place along the banks of the Thames (gasp!) after one of the characters reveals himself to be the villain. Even the kids brought their best to the battle on the moving ship, and Nigel saw his training bear fruit. But can Key really do this? It’s unclear, although it does do a few things in the movie, including turning off the lights of London’s skyline. This part of the story feels lazily written, which is unfortunate because both Diaz and Foxx are a joy to watch punching, kicking, and shooting in these scenes.
sometimes, return to action It feels like a smooth spy action movie. But in other ways it doesn’t quite nail down what kind of movie it is. It’s a story about a family coming together, but it’s not a family movie. It has moments that appear to be comedic, but aren’t really that funny. Ultimately, it served as a vehicle for two actors we actually liked and wanted to watch – a real reminder of how much Diaz will be missed semi-retired on screen. They were both charming movie stars, but Diaz in particular had an undeniable appeal. It’s a shame her comeback didn’t lead to better writing, although it was great to see her anyway. Next time, skip the overwritten episodes and give us the romantic comedy we deserve.
“Back In Action” will be available to stream on Netflix starting January 17th.
