Directed by Seth Gordon, Back in Action is a breath of fresh air in the deep abyss of films on Netflix.
The story about the spies who retire and make a comeback has been done multiple times, but at least here, the story is more fun than actual espionage.
The film kicks off with a flashback, showing two agents that were hooking up at the time. Matt (Jamie Foxx) and Emily (Cameron Diaz) were assigned to retrieve a special key from the residence of Balthazar Gor (Robert Besta). Once they retrieved it, their attempt to escape England was thwarted and ended in a wildly dramatic plane crash in the mountains. Fast forward, they’re married with two kids and living an ideal suburban life… Until it comes to a halt.
The opening 15 minutes doesn’t do the film any favors. Of all the terrible reviews this film has received, one thing I can agree with is the sluggish and stale opening (and who impersonates a French couple with an American accent?). If you can survive the bore of a flashback to set the tone, you’ll end up enjoying the movie.
Once you’ve been brought up to speed, the film gets substantially better. Kids Alice (McKenna Roberts) and Leo (Rylan Jackson) are woefully unaware of their parents’ background and start to question them when they see their passports. Alice’s character is highly annoying. She’s spoiled, disrespectful, and can’t stand her mother. Leo is the typical Gen-Alpha who’s addicted to gaming and hyper-aware of what he can and can’t eat. Leo is the voice of reason more often than Alice, even though she’s the eldest, but their onscreen chemistry makes their siblingship believable.
So what sets this apart from the truckload of spy parent/couple movies that exist? This one is actually funny. Foxx and Diaz are hilarious together (again, after the flashback), Glenn Close is amazing, and the film is actually viewable for a larger audience. The language isn’t doused in vulgarity, which is a welcome detail. There’s no need for sex in a spy movie and thankfully there’s none here. Innuendo yes, but no onscreen naked bodies (for once). Actually, Foxx and Diaz don’t even so much as kiss in the film. For a couple who’ve been married for 15 years, I expected at least one kiss, but no. There’s no extraneous gore or obscenely bloody scenes. There’s action, a reasonable plot, and enough humor to carry the story to an end.
Ginny (Glenn Close) and Nigel (Jamie Demetriou) were a gift to audiences for sticking out the movie past the first hour. Ginny is Emily’s mother and lives in the English countryside. She has a relationship with an agent much younger than her in Nigel. Once the family visits her, the awkward introduction is pure comedy. Ginny and Nigel end up being unsung heroes of the story and the film, bringing lighthearted entertainment wherever they go.
Back in Action gets an 8.5 out of 10. The film hits a turning point at the Salt-N-Pepa sing-a-long in the car with Foxx and Diaz. With the kids unfamiliar with “Push It!”, it makes for a special scene for all Gen Xers and Millennials to enjoy. Push past the first 15 minutes or so of outlandish disaster and par dialogue for a film that the studio can actually build on.
Back in Action is now playing on Netflix
-Jon Jones
Photos: Netflix
Genre: Action, Comedy
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 1hr 54 mins.
Trailer: Watch
U.S. Release Date: Jan. 17, 2024.