Back in Action Review: Missed Opportunity Despite Its Flashy Action

Back in Action Review

Director: Seth Gordon

Date Created: 2025-01-17 17:00

Editor's Rating:
1.5

Back in Action Review: In this Netflix action-comedy, a team of past-their-prime operatives are called back into post-war action when old enemies come licking at their home, bringing naive children with them into the comedic-spy hell.

The film is directed and written by Seth Gordon and Brendan O’Brien, and stars Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx, whose much-anticipated return to the big screen together along with Glenn Close, Andrew Scott, Kyle Chandler, McKenna Roberts, Rylan Jackson, Jamie Demetriou and others. What could have been a rousing family-oriented action-adventure becomes instead a perfunctory and uninspired exercise that hardly approaches its potential.

Back in Action Review

Back in Action movie was supposed to be a blend of a family drama, a high-stakes action movie, and a light-hearted comedy, but it fails to find the right balance. Asspies, Matt and Emily left their secret lives behind to finally have a family and a peaceful life. Years later, their past comes back to haunt them, and they’re forced to go on the run with their kids, who do not know their parents’ real identities.

Although this basis sets the stage for an interesting story, the execution is lacking. The story is filled with tropes and done-to-death scenarios where every twist is painfully predictable and places the protagonists into scenarios no real human being would ever find themselves in. The dynamic of Matt and Emily’s dual life as spies and modern parents is superficially explored, distancing viewers from their visceral experience.

One area Back in Action pulls through is its action sequences. The stunt team provides spectacular choreography across an array of high-speed chases and heart-pounding fight sequences. These segments’ practical effects and physicality are impressive; they’re the only real highlights of the film.

But no amount of well-executed action can compensate for a lack both of emotional heft and narrative coherence. The switch between the main characters and their stunt doubles are often so abrupt they spoil the fantasy. Furthermore, the action looks great, but it lacks meaning and there seems to be no stakes or growth for the characters.

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Back in Action has plenty of talent, but that talent cannot elevate the material. From veteran actors Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx, there is zero chemistry and little more than a listless performance. Their performances as Matt and Emily come off as perfunctory, as if they’re simply going through the motions.

The supporting cast doesn’t fare much better. Or Glenn Close, a screen veteran, does little to make her character memorable and Andrew Scott looks visibly checked out for the most part. Kyle Chandler is the one bright spot, applying his typical commitment and gravitas to an otherwise thankless role. The younger actors, McKenna Roberts and Rylan Jackson give serviceable performances, but the material doesn’t allow for much.

Back in Action’s biggest crime is wasting its potential. The premise of retired spies trying to navigate parenthood while being pulled back into the world of espionage is inherently interesting. But the movie does not seem interested in developing the premise. The funny stuff is often played out, and the dramatic moments don’t have the emotional heft to make much of an impression.

If the movie had tried to be so bad it was at least a little bit good,  but instead it decided to play it safe and follow a formula. And it joins the list of trivial titles in Netflix’s buffet of action movies that value style over narrative.

Summing Up

Netflix’s Back in Action is a movie that attempts much but succeeds very little. And while the action pieces desperately try to save the day, the flimsy storyline, bumpy tone and lacklustre performances drag the whole movie underwater. It’s a reminder that nothing — not even a casting full of stars and an exciting premise — can save a project from mediocre execution.

If you like action movies and appreciate well-executed stunts, you may find some entertainment in here. But if you are looking for an entertaining, memorable movie, Back in Action is likely to be a disappointment.

Back in Action 2025 is now streaming on Netflix.

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Back in Action Review: All in all, this movie is a somewhat disappointingly missed opportunity that never really capitalises on its potential, leaving the viewer with little to remember when the credits roll.Back in Action Review: Missed Opportunity Despite Its Flashy Action