Review of 'Back in Action'

Tasked with obtaining a device that can control any electronic system the plane containing CIA agents Matt (Jamie Foxx), his pregnant fiancé Emily (Cameron Diaz) and the key is ambushed by operatives employed by Polish KGB agent-turned terrorist Balthazzar Gor (Robert Besta) then crashes resulting in the pair deciding to go off grid to escape capture. Fifteen years later the pair are married and have two children – Leo (Rylan Jackson) and Alice (McKenna Roberts) – living boring, mundane lives in suburbia. When Matt and Emily are filmed using their CIA fighting skills it attracts the attention of their CIA boss Chuck (Kyle Chandler) who tries to warn them but is shot by Gor's men. The two flee with their children, who are ignorant of their real profession, pulling them out of school and putting them on a plane to England. The chase is on…

This is a lot of fun but, as normal, though it does stretch credulity quite a lot. The action sequences are entertaining and imaginative though the story is quite clichéd by now - Two spies hiding out in superbia pretending to be “normal” people while trying to evade detection, just see “True Lies”, The Incredibles, “Knight and Day”, “Spy Kids”, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”, etc. This version is made slightly more interesting with the introduction of their two suspicious children who figure out what is going on though perhaps not as quick as they should have…Of course, once they do, they prove to be an amazing asset and get into it quite quickly (cue chase in boats along the Thames). You would also expect to get the ironic and humorous banter which is here, of course, in spades. Both Diaz and Foxx are great together with an unexpected chemistry that works quite well even though Foxx's character is the much more serious of the two. Going back to the credulity point - Of course, the premise is preposterous as is the action, but that is probably not too concerning to those that will watch this film.

Sit back and enjoy this entertaining action flick with great chemistry between it's two stars.

Rating: “Really good but I have some issues”

Review Date: 2025-11-15

Directed by: Seth Gordon

Studio: Netflix

Year: 2025

Length: 114 minutes

Genre: Action/Adventure

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21191806/