“Back in Action” is a new Netflix action comedy which marks Cameron Diaz's return to acting after a long hiatus alongside Jamie Foxx . This film focuses on two former spies and how they must come together again when life gets more complicated.
Plot Overview
In “Back in Action,” a former spy couple decide to retire. As they make adjustments to being normal people their lives take a turn once their previous world from spying calls them back. As chaos returns with bad guys in hot pursuit of a missing item the couple needs to decide if their normal family life can come to an end again and embrace their old identities to survive.
Challenges of Past and Present
The main characters are introduced as a spy duo turned suburban parents forced back into dangerous situation after being discovered due to a cell phone video. A viral cell phone video gets their past lives re awakened when the world discovers who they actually were, that was long forgotten.
Action-Comedy Blend
The movie tries to merge action scenes with comedic moments. Many musical selections help to set the pace and tone using songs with high contrast to scenes they portray. Using a comical element helps give an attempt to connect audiences to what the producers of the series were aiming for.
Director and His Vision
Director Seth Gordon created “cartoon reality terms”. Many feel that violent acts being tied to classic or popular songs seems off kilter which takes away from an ability to be immersed in those moments. Others seem to enjoy this very unique and bold take to action scenes in a humorous way which has a lot of shock value.
Key Characters
The lead roles are occupied by Jamie Foxx as Matt and Cameron Diaz as Emily two spies who became husband and wife and parents. Glenn Close has the role of Emily's mom who is also a former superspy. Adding another unique aspect to how spy work is actually a family dynamic.
Supporting Roles
Other roles include Kyle Chandler playing a CIA agent along with Jamie Demetriou portraying a trainee spy and Ginny’s (Glenn Close’s character) younger lover. While the show attempts to highlight all of these different characters the over emphasis on action scenes overshadows a great part of these individual unique features of characters who could have had more of an impact on viewers.
Cameron Diaz Return to Acting
“Back in Action” is notable for Cameron Diaz’s return to acting after ten years. While the return brings excitement with audiences the movie seems more or less to deliver a specific concept over an elevated story line with much meaning. Diaz has had major success over the years in her work and is hoping that people will be excited to see her return to the big screen.
Time Away From Hollywood
Diaz has explained that time away allowed a space for growth in a lot of aspects for her family and herself. Her time was split between working on her personal projects along with family and her role in this particular movie marked that there would be some notable changes in the person she was on and off screen due to having children and being married.
The Plot and its Reception
The plot involves an espionage story with twists and double crosses but has taken on an exaggerated feel. After their cover is blown Matt and Emily must get a missing object (the ICS key) that everyone wants in order for their safety to come to a realization and achieve their personal freedom. This chase takes a family trip across the Atlantic to find solutions.
Critical Reception and Viewer Feedback
“Back in Action” debuted to mostly mixed to poor reviews however despite that low critical reviews many were excited by the project, pulling in millions of viewers which broke some platform records . Audiences seemed drawn in more because of the draw of familiar faces than what the project had actually promised and many feel let down at the end of viewing it. The film has had mixed reviews with some calling it forgettable.
Analysis and Style Choices
Many reviewers say the film missed out on showcasing the depth and talents that it had among the actors. They are also disappointed at how old style methods of action are applied in a modern context, causing an array of mis-timed moments.
Emphasis on Action Over Story
Some critics feel this was a clear choice with focus on explosions rather than a complete story line with clear themes or purpose. They find that style and art are mostly replaced by repetitive action scenes. It focuses more on “casual viewing” over thoughtful design that may hold some important parts.
Key Takeaways
- "Back in Action" features Cameron Diaz’s first role after being absent in acting for almost a decade as she portrays Emily an ex spy.
- The series uses both popular and contrasting music with actions scenes.
- While the film drew many views there were poor reviews as far as plot and story design with many feeling let down in different ways.
- There was a clear priority to high actions and violence rather than depth or quality of other core story elements.
- Despite being considered low quality film some still praised Jamie Fox and Cameron Diaz for making an effort in new roles.