Streaming Review - APEX (2026)

What are the elements that make a film watchable?

Plot

Characters/Performances

Direction/Tone

Cinematography

Script/Dialogue

Let’s see how the straight to Netflix thriller APEX fares in these categories.

PLOT: A mano-a-mano story of a person exorcising demons of their past when they are caught in a cat-and-mouse game with a psycho-killer. Only one of them can come out of this alive.

Verdict: Fair enough. A bit derivative, but I’ll go with it

CHARACTERS/PERFORMANCES: Charlize Theron (Oscar winner for MONSTER back in 2004) brings her star power to the lead role of Sasha a “Extreme Sports” enthusiast who is trying to recapture her spirit of adventure after a mishap causes her partner (Eric Bana in an extended cameo) to be killed. She certainly got herself into excellent physical shape to realistically portray this heroine - and to do many of the physically difficult stunts herself.

Since this is a mano-a-mano piece, Theron would need to be set up opposite an equally fierce - and physically balanced villain and in Teron Egerton (Elton John in ROCKETMAN) this film has one. He starts the movie as meek, mild and nice (as most of these types of films do) and gradually becomes more and more crazed and unhinged as the film proceeds. This type of performance is certainly nothing new in cinema, but it works in this film thanks to the efforst of Egerton (and Theron).

VERDICT: A strong check mark in the “plus” column for this film.

DIRECTION/TONE/CINEMATOGRAPHY:

Baltasar Kormakur is no strangers to tight, taught thrillers, having helmed BEAST in 2022 and 2 GUNS in 2013 and he brings his talents to this, moving the plot along sprightly (so as NOT to dwell too much on the plot holes and stupid decisions of both parties in this film - a staple of such films). He also gives the audience some breathtaking Cinematograpy, giving overhead shots of the Australian Outback that makes this barren piece of land a beauty that is mesmorizing

VERDICT: Come for the tension, performances, stay for the Cinematogrphay

SCRIPT/DIALOGUE: Thin, cheap, cliched, derivative and (at times) laughable.

VERDICT: Ah…methinks we found where this film falls down

So add all these items up and we have an entertaining (enough) film that falls down hard during the dialogue/plotting that makes you say to yourself “I’m enjoying myself, so I’ll just roll with that”.

Letter Grade: The very definition of a “B” picture.

7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)