By Jonathan Klotz | Published
Cameron Diaz is finally back in a movie, ending her 10-year hiatus, and it’s easy to forget that she left when she was one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. In a world where it’s common for stars and athletes to hang on a little too long, it’s commendable that Diaz decided to take her money, invest in companies she believed in, and choose to live life that she wanted. But now she’s back alongside one of her best friends, Jamie Foxx, in Back in action, a Netflix action-comedy throwback that, without Diaz, would be completely forgettable.
Cameron Diaz is back
Back in action would be lost amid a sea of Netflix originals without the added attention of Diaz’s return. While Matt and Emily married former spies living under false identities while raising their children, Foxx and Diaz shine in what is essentially Mr. and Mrs. Smith if they had a healthy relationship. After showing off at a nightclub, the couple’s cover is blown and it sparks a race to recover the industrial control system (or ICS, which is still a fun way to spell “Mcguffin”) while keeping them safe of their children.
The always charming Kyle Chandler and Glenn Close join the duo, in what is not a retaliation against his character from Red but it might as well be since she was once again given a sniper rifle and a license to kill. Surprisingly, the cast isn’t filled top to bottom with A-list stars, but given the way Back in Action ends, it’s clear that Netflix already has plans in place for a sequel. Whether or not that’s a good thing depends entirely on what you think of old-school action comedies.
Cameron Diaz is still a star
Back in action suffers from being a Netflix movie, with the same distracting lighting in every scene and the need for characters to actively talk about what they’re doing, just in case someone isn’t actually watching the movie but is just watching it as noise background. Compared to Red NoticeThe streamer’s other star-studded spy adventure, Foxx and Diaz’s caper is easily superior, but it’s just as fluffy and inconsequential. The stakes are weightless, and everyone might as well wink at the camera while delivering goofy technobabble lines about ICS, but since the film has been number one since its debut, it’s clearly he has found an audience.
Retaining the top spot as Netflix’s most popular film since its debut, Back in action is unoriginal, full of barely sketched characters, flimsy motivations for the villain, cheap special effects, and yet it’s an absolute blast. It’s similar to the Rush Hour trilogy in that the charm and star power of the leads elevates the rest of the film. Cameron Diaz hasn’t lost a step and, at 52, she could have a second act in Hollywood that’s just as successful as her first.
If it came out 10 years ago, Back in action would have been in theaters, but during Diaz’s hiatus, the entertainment landscape has changed and Netflix originals have the budget and star power of big theatrical releases. Most movie fans will agree that this isn’t a change for the better, and as fun as it is to see Cameron Diaz again, you can’t help but wonder if we missed something special. Then again, 46.8 million people have already watched the film on Netflix, so despite a mediocre release, it’s still a huge hit.
You can judge for yourself and enjoy a good old-fashioned action comedy streaming Back in action today on Netflix.
