News

Netflix is hitting the ground running in 2025, especially for lovers of police dramas and crime thrillers. While watching shows and movies that are dubbed over or require closed captions can be a turn-off for some English-speaking viewers, Netflix has inspired more subtitle-friendly audiences thanks to its many great international series. The following examples are proof that anyone who is still avoiding subbed or dubbed shows might be missing out on some of the best stories of the year.

A nice change of pace from the typical American police procedural, The Åre Murders successfully tackles the Nordic noir genre; Public Disorder acts as a commentary on current sociopolitical tension in Italy; and the French film Squad 36 is a respectable addition to the cops-and-car-chases plots that audiences are oh-so fond of. All three of these projects bring something fresh to well-worn narratives.

The Åre Murders Netflix

The Åre Murders is a...

Netflix’s Squad 36 is a French crime thriller that explores the dark underbelly of law enforcement and institutional corruption. Directed by [Director’s Name], the film follows the journey of Antoine, a seasoned cop struggling with personal demons, as he unravels a web of betrayal within his own squad. While the premise is promising, the film’s slow pacing, morally ambiguous characters, and lack of engaging action sequences make it a tedious watch.

Despite its flaws, Squad 36 raises significant issues, such as the mental health of law enforcement officers and the moral dilemmas they face. The film has received mixed reviews from audiences, with some praising its realism and others criticizing its sluggish execution. Let’s take a deeper dive into its plot and ending.

Squad 36 Movie Plot Breakdown A Dangerous Chase and an Unraveling Mystery

The story begins with the elite anti-gang Search and Intervention (S&i) squad chasing...

Netflixcontinues to be a popular streaming platform for action movie fans, with their latest John Wick-esque revenge thriller now finding success and crashing into the top 10. Following the likes of such genre hits as Rebel Ridge, Carry-On, The Shadow Strays, and more, the streamer’s new action offering, the brutal and bloody Demon City, is gradually finding an audience since being released at the end of last month.

An adaptation of the manga "Oni Goroshi" by Masamichi Kawabe, Demon City merges violent revenge action with the supernatural in this tale of a highly skilled hitman who resurrects his deadly skills and cuts a bloody path of vengeance after his wife and daughter are (seemingly) killed. While it does sound a lot like a thousand revenge stories before it, sometimes, a no-nonsense action thriller about a former assassin on the warpath is exactly what you need. Clearly, audiences agree.

RelatedNetflix...

Zero Day. (L to R) McKinley Belcher III as Carl Otieno, Mozhan Navabi as Melissa Kornblau, Robert De Niro as George Mullen, Jesse Plemons as Roger Carlson and Connie Britton as Valerie Whitesell in Episode 102 of Zero Day. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2024 Netflix’s rankings for the week are here, offering a mix of thrilling mysteries, true-crime docuseries, blockbuster films, and international hits that have captivated audiences worldwide. At the very top of the list is Zero Day, a gripping limited series starring Robert De Niro. This cyber thriller, centered on a devastating digital power outage, dominated with 17.9 million views in its second week, proving to be a must-watch for fans of edge-of-your-seat storytelling. True-crime enthusiasts continued to flock to American Murder: Gabby Petito, which held steady at No. 2, gathering 11.3 million views. Bringing a lighter note to the lineup, Running Point, a comedy series helmed by executive producer Mindy Kaling and starring Kate Hudson,...

A new action thriller has exploded onto Netflixand is finding huge success as audiences flock to stream this tale of a police officer who stumbles upon a conspiracy while investigating the suspicious deaths of two of his colleagues. Combining action and police procedural thrills, Squad 36has shot up the global Netflix top 10, and could be the gritty thriller you’ve been looking for.

Directed by Olivier Marchal and starring Victor Belmondo, Tewfik Jallab, and Yvan Attal, the French mystery action thriller Squad 36 drops audiences in present-day Paris, and centers on a rebellious former elite police officer, Antoine Cerda, who, after two of his former colleagues are killed and a third goes missing, begins his own investigation, discovering a bitter feud withing the police force. Squad 36 is now #2 on the Netflix worldwide chart, just behind another recent action thriller hit, Counterstrike, and you can check out the official synopsis below.

Director Olivier Marchal’s Squad 36 is a grounded, slow-paced thriller that meditates upon the very topical issue of police corruption. While the narrative focuses on the actions of individuals who abuse the powers they have been given to serve their own selfish means, the thematic significance of Squad 36 holds the rotting system and the seedy hierarchy of power accountable for creating an environment where such corruption festers. Characterization plays a key role in storylines such as this one, and it’s decent enough in the case of Squad 36. The issue is that the lead, whose Pov guides viewers through the narrative, is way less interesting than the characters who remain off-screen most of the time and yet affect the story the most. For a movie that is over two hours long, it is surprising the film doesn’t even have a fleshed-out roster of main characters—a...

Institutionalized authoritarian corruption is a universal crisis, and the people involved in the profession of upholding the law are as much of a victim of it as common people are. Netflix’s French thriller, Squad 36, ponders over this issue using a much-treaded narrative course. With a grounded yet extremely slow-paced story with a morally questionable lead and no likable characters involved, Squad 36’s tragic ending could have intrigued viewers better had the glaring problems been taken care of. Even significant issues raised by the movie, like the importance of the mental well-being of those serving law and order, are simply mentioned and not explored. Overall, this two-hour snoozefest of a crime caper neither possesses the cerebral nuance to hook in viewers nor has the reliance or strength in its action elements —creating an overall tedious experience as a result.

Spoilers Ahead

Why Did Antoine Begin Searching For Richard?...

Squad 36, also titled Bastion 36, is a new French action thriller film streaming on Netflix that makes it a point to be ultra-realistic and grim at every juncture, although it ends up being quite a mediocre affair. The plot follows a police officer named Antoine Cerda, who grows perplexed at the fact that his old colleagues and squad mates are being killed off one after another, about six months after he is transferred to a different unit. While Squad 36 slightly stands out from most thoughtless action thrillers, it does not bring anything fresh or unique to the table and makes for an average watch.

Spoiler Alert

What is the Netflix film about?

Squad 36 begins in a busy part of Paris, where a man casually drinks a cup of coffee at a local café before stepping out and lighting a cigarette, taking a look around as if expecting to see someone.

Who doesn’t love a good movie about police corruption, right? Yes, the people in this particular profession are supposed to be the bastion of justice, the protector of the common folk, and an inspiration to all. And I am sure there are many officers, constables, and detectives who wear their uniforms, ignore their low pay and outdated weapons, and risk their lives every single day because they genuinely want to keep society from descending into utter chaos. But, with every passing year, it seems like the number of righteous cops is being overshadowed by the number of dishonest cops who want to take bribes, suck up to politicians, and side with the highest bidder instead of their fellow citizens. To make things worse, movies and even TV shows all over the globe are celebrating police brutality since it apparently “looks cool” on the big as well as the small screen.

Picture: Netflix

The latest movie from director Olivier Marchal, also creator of the show Blood Coast, stars Victor Belmondo investigating the gruesome murders of two of his former colleagues on his own.

For close to three decades, writer, actor, and director Olivier Marchal has enjoyed a steady career as one of the most in-demand talents for gritty crime dramas and thrillers in France. His newest movie, Squad 36, has been produced by his longtime studio, Gaumont, for Netflix and is his second movie produced directly for streamers, after Overdose, produced for Prime Video in 2022. A former police detective himself, Marchal is also fond of carrying gritty French novels to the screen, this time with the book Flic Requiem by Michel Tourscher. The movie is set in the elite anti-criminal unit Bri, and Marchal dedicates the movie to some of his acquaintances who have worked within the unit. This tale of corruption,...

“Squad 36” is a Netflix film starring Victor Belmondo, Tewfik Jallab, Yvan Attal and directed by Olivier Marchal.

Today marks the arrival of a French thriller that always pleases the audience while not leaving an excessive mark: a police story with a good plot, solid development, and characters with depth.

Directed by Olivier Marchal, “Squad 36” offers a raw and intense look into the world of Parisian law enforcement. Marchal, known for his gritty police thrillers like “Overdose” and “36th Precinct,” is no stranger to exploring the dark intricacies of police work. With “Squad 36,” he adapts Michel Tourscher’s novel “Flic Requiem” to the screen, creating a narrative that delves into the complexities and moral ambiguities of modern policing.

Plot

The story follows Antoine Cerda, a high-ranking police officer played by Victor Belmondo, grandson of the legendary Jean-Paul Belmondo. Cerda is transferred to the Anti-Crime Brigade after being sanctioned by the General Inspection.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Toxic Town, Despicable Me 4 – Pictures: Paramount Pictures, Netflix and Universal Pictures

A new month is just around the corner, but Netflix is concluding in February with some big new releases. Below, we’ll be tackling all the new confirmed titles on the way to Netflix (specifically in the US – other regions’ lineups will vary) with headline titles, including the debuts of Venom: The Last Dance and Despicable Me 4, plus some big new Netflix Originals.

Note: This list is partially incomplete, given that Netflix has yet to send its “New on Netflix” newsletter to the press. That’s coming on Wednesday, so stay tuned! We’re tracking all the new additions coming for Netflix US for March 2025 here.

Let’s kick off with some of our most anticipated upcoming titles heading to Netflix this week:

Most Anticipated New Releases on Netflix This Week Venom: The Last Dance...

Time to reload your binge list, gang. Netflix has more movies and shows, both new and *kinda* old for you this week. Catch old favorites and find new ones this week on your favorite streaming service. It is Netflix, right? Right.

I'm sure you'll be shocked, but there's something for everyone this week. Comedies, thrillers, dramas, family fare - although there is one shocking development. For the first time in what feels like a decade, you won't see a new stand-up comedy special debut this week. There are already several great specials to watch, just no new ones this week. Don't worry, the week is packed with laughs.

One of the best comedy series ever adds two more seasons to the rotation this week, and sequels to a pair of the top family films of the past few years arrive as well. There's a new season of an acclaimed sports...