[Rating: Minor Rock Fist Down]
Lately, big named A-list stars feel to me, as if they’ve been just taking quick roles for streaming services to make a few bucks, with little substantial impact on their careers. I know somebody like Charlize Theron could hold her own in a bonafide box office hit, yet lately I feel she’s been choosing the Netflix route for putting her out there to audiences. In her latest feature, Apex (directed by Baltasar Kormákur), she’s been given a role that feels too familiar to a lot of other survivalist action films, making the final product a slog to get through.
Adrenaline seeker Sasha (Theron) and her boyfriend Tommy (Eric Bana) are caught in a storm, climbing the mountains of Norway. This activity turns chaotic and eventually sorrowful as an avalanche claims the life of Tommy, leaving Sasha grieving. Sasha, months later, is still grieving for Tommy as she makes her way to the Australian outback. There, she meets locals that warn her of recent disappearances and to proceed with caution. After an encounter with some hunters, she meets Ben (Taron Edgerton). Ben is a bit of a loner, but Sasha, not thinking anything of it, goes on her way.
However, things start to take a turn when she has another encounter with Ben again. Ben has now threatened to hunt Sasha, setting off her flight or fight mode. Sasha now has to outrun Ben before he can capture her and more than likely kill her, like so many before her that have “mysteriously” disappeared in the forest.
In all honesty, this movie was fine. I don’t think for me personally I got much out of it, except Theron is still a good actress who can hold her own in a movie. I just wish she took more chances to do that in an actual theater and not on Netflix. The movie itself felt so familiar, I had the urge to watch The River Wild, another movie that has a similar plot to this. Heck, there’s so many fight-or-flight style movies out there, this never really lived up to being something fresh and unique.
My only fight-or-flight response to this was turning it off as soon as it ended. If anything, my dad called this one a fast forward movie, having already made up his mind, and frankly mine after viewing it. I can only imagine what next run-of-the-mill movie Charlize will make next.
Christian Ramos is a classic film fan, having had the dream to host Turner Classic Movies for years now. He also has a large amount of Oscar trivia in his head, remembers dressing as Groucho Marx one Halloween, and cherishes the moment Julianne Moore liked his tweet.
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