Back in Action

Once again, we are faced with a simple movie from a streaming service that features well-known actors. While it may lack original ideas and intricate plot details, the film surprisingly achieves what it sets out to do: entertain the audience.

One of the strengths of this film lies in its abundance of amusing characters and the jokes they deliver. These elements are not only sufficient but often exceed what is necessary to ensure a pleasurable viewing experience. It's important to approach such films with the right mindset-one of lowered expectations. When you don't anticipate groundbreaking storytelling or innovative concepts, the film manages to pleasantly surprise you and leave you with a sense of enjoyment and positive emotion.

So, if you're in the mood for a film that doesn't demand much of your attention but still brings a smile to your face, this might just be the right choice.

Diaz and Fox together with Glenn Close as Diaz's English mom, certainly make for a star studies cast, but that's prob where most people's reviews will stop. The film is not to be taken seriously and it's not going to win any awards, but it's a family, light hearted spy film that doesn't actually try to take itself seriously. The dialogue is corny at times and the acting is straight out of low budget action movies as is the plot, but if you want something to watch where you won't have to use any brain power whatsoever it's not that bad. There is enough action and stunts to keep the interest of most action movie officianardos, with Diaz and Fox playing two spies and obviously having martial arts skills. It does drop off a little around 3/4 the way through but picks up again towards the end. Decent enough watch.

Netflix delivers yet another star-studded cast: Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz are reason enough to hit play, and Andrew Scott, though appearing briefly, adds a touch of charm to the mix. However, even the brightest cast can't save a film when the script falls short - and here, it certainly does.

After watching, I was left with a strange sense of something missing. There's too little of everything: not enough jokes to make you laugh out loud, not enough action to keep you on the edge of your seat, and not enough intrigue to maintain interest. Netflix, which has recently been surprising us with quality projects like Carry On, seems to have taken a step back this time.

Is Back in Action the perfect choice for a cozy evening on the couch with some snacks? Absolutely. But will it be something you'll remember or want to revisit in the future? Definitely not. It's the kind of movie made to entertain you once - and that's it.

Verdict: If you're looking for a light film that doesn't demand much from you, Back in Action is a solid choice. But if you want something more memorable, you might want to check out a different title. Enjoy the show!

It's hard not to be a little insulted by Netflix sometimes. They seem to have a very specific type of movie they like to put out time and again and it really is aimed at the lowest level of movie-viewer. This tacky, predictable and safe movie template that they have down and throw out a dozen times a year is just awful to watch and 'Back in Action' is just another one to throw on the trash heap.

It was nice to see Cameron Diaz again after 11 years. I always enjoyed her charisma and sass that she was able to bring to a role. Here though she was not her usual self. Whether that was the script or her being a bit rusty I'm not sure. She didn't have any chemistry with Jamie Foxx though whatsoever.

Those are two fine actors and they both felt wooden the entire film. Foxx did have some health problems during filming though it is worth noting, so I'm happy to give him a pass. The fact that he completed the film at all is commendable.

Also I could've done without the bratty kid characters. Did anyone consider making them likable so that we might care about their fate a little more?

Sometimes you can say, turn your brain off and you'll have a good time. With this movie you need to turn your brain off to avoid the frustration of the absurdly stupid script and story, but you're still not going to have a good time if you do. Things like a plane crashing into the side of a mountain and then characters just walking away without a scratch are just the tip of the iceberg. The fun element was severely lacking in this movie.

I tried so hard to get into this movie and enjoy the ride but I just couldn't. Mostly I was just bored. A generous 4/10.

It's the kind of movie that not everyone will like, but deep down it hides a simple, repetitive, but efficient entertainment that's good enough to spend a weekend watching the return of Cameron Diaz and her still-lively chemistry with Jamie Foxx.

Netflix delivers its first big blockbuster of the year and does so by bringing back the chemistry of Foxx and Diaz on screen with an everyday action comedy that will not propose anything new to the universe, but will leave an entertaining pastime for those looking for simple things without major complexes, sometimes the cinema also needs moments of relaxation like these.

Under the direction of a director who is a regular in the genre like Seth Gordon, we are faced with a film that delivers well-done scenes and sequences and at the same time lacks depth in its characters, not to mention memorable dialogues, but a couple of well-done gags that balance the on-screen adventure in a simple, repetitive blockbuster full of clichés, but that entertains, which is what it ultimately seeks in its mission.

Seeing Cameron Diaz again after so much time on screen is the big punch that this new Netflix release has, despite not having the best tools, the actress once again demonstrates her charisma on screen and her perfect chemistry with an also returning Jamie Foxx after his health problems. Back in action for a duo that is always a delight to see on screen, and although they do not have a wonderful script in their favour, they do provide moments where they make us happy and entertain us just as their supporting actors do, who in some way contributes to a good pastime.

It has all the circumstances to be the new big Netflix franchise, and it has a couple of arguments to give us something more. Clearly, it is not one of those movies that will mark great milestones, but it does manage to be the first big blockbuster of 2025 even if it does not leave everyone happy. It is a Netflix-style movie that is good for a family weekend, at the service of the charisma of a duo that is back to make us spend pleasant moments on screen.

Almost 11 years without Cameron Diaz on screen was too much, seeing her again is a real pleasure. Thank you, Netflix, for that, welcome back home my dear Cameron Diaz.