"Back in Action," directed by Seth Gordon, is trending on Netflix at the time of publication. This film features Cameron Diaz as Emily and Jamie Foxx as Matt, a CIA agent. It is full of action and humorous scenes that keep the audience engaged.
Emily and Matt are former CIA agents who decide to leave the agency because it could put their family at risk. However, they are pulled back into this dangerous career because their enemies believe they have a secret key. After their last mission, it was thought that they were dead, but their identities were exposed after a fight in a club.
Highs
The sequence of events in "Back in Action" are entertaining and intriguing, considering the movie's beginning includes an intense mission. This specific type of scene can catch the audience’s attention. The CGI in the scene was impressive and full of adrenaline. The fighting scenes portrayed by Diaz as Emily were impressive and skillful. She shows her character’s strength and bravery as an agent while pregnant.
The connection between Matt and Emily is a highlight due to their care for one another. Their goal is to protect their family no matter the cost. The transition from being CIA agents to normal parents without this dangerous job is hilarious. The scenes of Emily bickering with her daughter Alice (McKenna Roberts) show their intense mother-daughter relationship. Emily’s goal as a mother is to protect her children and lighten her relationship with her daughter.
The film's plot is a high, considering how thrilling it can be to run away from terrorists and/or mercenaries. This takes the audience on an exciting adventure as we hope to keep Alice and Leo (Rylan Jackson), Emily's other child, safe. The plot twists in the film are unexpected and show that Matt and Emily cannot trust anyone from their past.
The grandmother Ginny (Glenn Close) was hilarious. She is this british former agent. She is sarcastic and has an intense relationship with her daughter, Emily. The amount of bravery and assertiveness she shows can be seen in her daughter. Their relationship is rocky, but it eases as the movie continues. This shows how one event can change the perspectives of Emily’s beliefs regarding her mother.
Lows
"Back in Action" has minimal lows, but it has a more predictable ending. This can take away from the audience’s attention and can disengage. The lack of knowledge regarding the secret key is low because it needs to show what it can do. Some scenes describe it but provide more to understand why it is so dangerous.
Alice’s attitude at the beginning is low because she is a hard-headed teen who doesn’t get along with her mother. She makes things more complicated for her mother rather than just trusting her. This can get annoying throughout the film because it is repetitive.
Verdict
"Back in Action" is entertaining with a simple plot but does keep the audience thrilled. The action scenes are intense, and the CGI is impressive throughout. There is a cliffhanger that leaves the audience in question for a sequel.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Mariam Fakhreddine is a film and theater reviewer for The Eastern Echo. She has worked as a news and features reporter for The Echo for two years.
