You already know that feeling of dread that units in while you’re attempting to get pleasure from nature — a hike by way of the woods, or a day on the seashore, for example — after which some impolite jerk reveals up blasting music from a bluetooth speaker? Nicely, now think about the jerk with the speaker additionally desires to hunt you for sport. That is what occurs in “Apex,” a predictable however largely pleasing new Netflix thriller from director Baltasar Kormákur. On a number of events, the movie’s villain fires up a speaker and dances round within the woods, and I discovered that extra horrifying and alarming than his homicide plans.
In “Apex,” Charlize Theron is Sasha, a girl consumed by grief and guilt following the tragic demise of her boyfriend. Sasha and her lifeless lover had been avid outdoorspeople specializing in mountain climbing, and now she’s come to Australia to clear her head through an arduous kayaking journey. Virtually instantly, Sasha encounters hostilities through some drunken native guys who declare they’re simply “attempting to be good.” There are such a lot of totally different films about individuals touring to Australia and being threatened by locals that it’s important to surprise what that is achieved to the Aussie vacationer trade.
Sasha additionally meets native beef jerky salesman Ben, performed by a buff, bald Taron Egerton. Ben appears variety and useful at first, however after all, that is all an act. Ben is definitely a full-blown psycho who likes to recreate “The Most Harmful Recreation” by searching human beings to the demise. Quickly, Sasha, alone and secluded within the woods, is working for her life whereas Ben chases after her with a crossbow (and that aforementioned bluetooth speaker).
Apex largely works because of its two leads
The story of a gorgeous lady being chased by way of the wilderness by a killer is fairly well-trod territory, and “Apex” would not actually attempt to reinvent the wheel right here. It unfolds roughly precisely as you’d anticipate it to, with just a few twists right here and there for good measure. The pacing can also be a bit wonky — after an thrilling first act, issues grind to a little bit of a halt for a time frame that feels far too drawn out.
But, the dedication of the 2 leads in the end retains this overly-familiar thriller going. Theron is wholly convincing as a girl who is aware of how one can deal with herself within the wild, and a prolonged sequence the place she’s climbing up a cliff barefoot feels fully plausible, to the purpose the place you’ll be able to really feel how bodily exhausted Sasha is on this second. However whereas Theron is a convincing heroine, “Apex” actually belongs to Egerton’s weirdo unhealthy man efficiency.
Jeremy Robbins’ script correctly solely offers us bits and items of Ben’s backstory, assuming the viewers can put these items collectively to kind a little bit of a psychological profile of this creep who appears to actually get pleasure from his work (his work being “searching individuals,” after all). This offers Egerton, in his second massive Netflix authentic, loads of room to go nuts, enjoying Ben like an enormous child who sees no actual difficulty with what he is doing. He is not conflicted or tormented; he is giddy. Actually, he even sees himself as higher than “regular” hunters who use searching as an excuse to get drunk and shoot some weapons.
Apex was filmed on location, nevertheless it would not all the time look that means
“Apex” reportedly filmed on location in Sydney and New South Wales, and whereas there are a handful of photographs that showcase the grandeur and fantastic thing about all that nature, the movie additionally has that unlucky Netflix sheen that makes every part look barely pretend. A second the place Sasha stands on the sting of a cliff looking on the huge, uninhabited wilderness is framed as one thing awe-inspiring, however all I saved pondering was whether or not or not they actually put Theron on high of that cliff, or if this was a completely digital creation. There are additionally a number of underwater moments which might be very clearly not being filmed underwater.
These types of issues will be distracting, however, hey, “Apex” is the kind of easy-viewing Netflix thriller that you simply get pleasure from whereas watching after which neglect all about because the credit begin to roll (see additionally: the latest Netflix shark movie “Thrash”). I am positive many of the movie’s scenes will slip from my reminiscence as the times go on, however whereas I watched, I loved the battle between Theron and Egerton. It’s totally straightforward to root for Theron’s character and it is simply as straightforward to hope she finally sends Egerton to his demise. In any case, he performs his rattling bluetooth speaker outdoors. What could possibly be worse than that?
/Movie Ranking: 5.5 out of 10
“Apex” is streaming on Netflix April 24, 2026.
