I’m a self-proclaimed Cameron Diaz diehard. In addition to watching The Holiday every year, wishing I could be one of Charlie’s Angels, and firmly believing that My Best Friend’s Wedding has one of the best openings of all time (I hope I got “Wishin’ and Hopin’” stuck in your head), I also think Bad Teacher and The Other Woman are both criminally underrated comedic gems, am a staunch defender of 2014 Annie, and think they should make as many Shrek movies as they want, thank you very much. Needless to say, I was pumped when I found out she was coming out of retirement after over a decade. I’m still excited that she’s back in action (pun definitely intended), but man, I wish she had returned in a better film.
What is ‘Back in Action’ About?

Back in Action begins by introducing us to Matt (Jamie Foxx) and Emily (Diaz) — two spies who are tasked with getting a master key that can control the power grids of entire cities alongside their guy in the chair, Chuck (Kyle Chandler), and agent Baron (Andrew Scott), who harbors feelings for Emily. It’s an already dangerous mission made even more complicated by the fact that Emily finds out she’s pregnant right before they’re set to go on it. After they retrieve the key, Matt tells Emily he’s all in on their relationship despite the fact they’ve only been together for a couple of months. Because Matt never had a family and Emily resents her own for choosing their jobs as spies over being present for her, the two of them decide to fake their deaths, retire from the espionage life, and raise their child in a more traditional household.
Fast-forward a decade and a half or so later, we see Matt and Emily living the aforementioned quiet life with their defiant daughter Alice (Mckenna Roberts) and anxiety-ridden son Leo (Rylan Jackson). When Alice’s rebellious behavior forces Matt and Emily to flex old skills, they not only realize they miss their fast-paced lifestyle but also get dragged back into it after their identities are leaked via a viral video. This new mission brings up old feelings and threatens to reveal long-buried secrets, and now that their kids are involved, the pressure has never been greater to take down the bad guys.
‘Back in Action’s PG-13 Rating Hurts It

Image via Netflix

My first impression of Back in Action from its synopsis and trailers was, “This sounds like Spy Kids from the parents’ perspective.” And that’s an amazing thing! Spy Kids was selected for the Library of Congress National Film Registry last year — not to mention the fact that Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino are often cited alongside The Mummy’s Rachel Weisz and Brendan Fraser in the elite canon of movies that made people realize they were bisexual. Spy Kids rules and is one of those films where, even though it’s marketed toward kids, its writing and acting are solid enough to be enjoyable for all ages.
My second impression was that it might be a sleeker, sexier, and decidedly more adult outing in the vein of Netflix’s Hit Man. After all, Foxx and Diaz have known each other for a long time, and the spy genre is inherently teeming with steamy potential — what better way to capitalize on some real-life chemistry? Unfortunately, Back in Action doesn’t lean into either of these avenues, resulting in a bland and puzzling middle ground. By trying to appeal to everyone, it doesn’t appeal to any specific audience. The adolescent characters are too one-note and underdeveloped to be engaging for a younger crowd, so while it’s technically appropriate for family movie night, I wouldn’t count on them staying engaged. Consequently, the action and romance are too tame and watered-down to make it a good choice for date night. Back in Action has all the ingredients to make either a great comedic-leaning family film or a snappy, sizzling R-rated espionage drama, but the film’s refusal to fully commit to either lane has me wondering who this is for.
‘Back in Action’ Is Too Formulaic to Be Fun

Image via Netflix

The last thing a movie like Back in Action should be is boring, but the spy plot is so comically simplistic, generic, and unengaging that there’s no real excitement or surprise to be had as far as the story goes. You can see every line and twist coming from a mile away, and there’s never any sense of real stakes or danger. Even the action sequences — which are competent and even occasionally impressive, especially the fight choreography — can’t distract from the lackluster story at its core. We’ve seen all of these beats numerous times, making for a tedious watch that feels much longer than its two-hour runtime.
The emotional elements fare even worse. While there’s no doubt that Back in Action has assembled an excellent cast, even they can’t manage to add much dimension or complexity. You know exactly who all of these characters are from the moment you meet them, and they never evolve beyond stereotype. Even the supposed depth they showcase is predictable and reads as nothing more than a convenient plot device.

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Glenn Close is clearly having a blast playing Diaz’s badass mother Ginny, and her relationship with young, bumbling Nigel (Jamie Demetriou) is the funniest part of the film (though that’s unfortunately not saying much, as laughs are scarce). But the conflict between Emily and Ginny rings completely hollow, and while the film tries to do an interesting intergenerational parallel between it and Emily’s relationship with her own daughter, it’s all woefully oversimplified, too. That’s the biggest problem with the film: none of the emotional arcs have any kind of real weight or authenticity. They feel like mere placeholders to get to the next big action sequence, none of which feel particularly fresh or innovative either. We’ve all seen countless fights in clubs, on planes, and at black-tie galas. This film had the opportunity to break the mold considering its premise, but instead of giving us something new, it plays things safe, relying on tried-and-true locales and patterns.
Besides Close and Demetriou, Chandler and Scott are other welcome additions to the stacked cast — and get the chance to play against their usual type. But while they’re two actors that elevate anything they’re in, they’re starting at such a disadvantage and have such weak material to work with that even their involvement can’t make it a memorable watch. Most people are likely clicking on this film for Foxx and Diaz, and they, too, do their best with what they’re given, but the dull, exposition-heavy script never gives them the chance to flex any of their dramatic muscles, and they rarely get to be truly funny either. There’s an odd line about Wordle or a gag about Uber that lands, but there’s nothing laugh-out-loud or unexpected. While I have no doubt they had a good time making the movie, with its wild stunts and silly concept, I just wish it was even half as much fun to watch.
Back in Action comes to Netflix on January 17.

‘Back in Action’ is weighed down by tired cliches and is too middling to be memorable.

Pros

The action scenes and stunt choreography can be impressive.
It?s clear the actors are having fun, often hamming it up and leaning into the silliness.

Cons

The characters are one-dimensional, and none of the emotional stakes feel authentic.
The film is too kid-friendly to have any steam or bite but too adult to fully engage a younger audience.
The jokes fall flat, and the spy plotline feels stale, rendering it ineffective as a comedy and action film alike.

Release Date

January 17, 2025

Director

Seth Gordon

Cast

Cameron Diaz
, Jamie Foxx
, McKenna Roberts
, Glenn Close
, Kyle Chandler
, Andrew Scott
, Jamie Demetriou
, Fola Evans-Akingbola
, Anna Stadler
, Tom Brittney
, Adam Basil
, Erol Ismail
, Lee Charles
, Alfredo Tavares
, Ruth Clarson
, Julia Westcott-Hutton
, Katrina Durden
, Robert Besta
, Bashir Salahuddin
, Ben VanderMey
, Jude Mack
, Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo
, Tobi Bamtefa

Expand

Watch on Netflix