John Cena And Jackie Chan's Latest Action Flick Is Dominating Netflix
In Scott Waugh's "Hidden Strike," two former special forces veterans — Dragon (Jackie Chan) and Chris (John Cena) — band together to carry out a dangerous mission with massive stakes. The Chan x Cena combination is certainly an interesting one, as both stars bring their specific brand of humor to their roles, and perform in tandem during action scenes that highlight their strengths as leading stars in the action genre. This chemistry is integral to the success of "Hidden Strike," which has been sitting comfortably in the global Top 10 Netflix charts for the past few weeks, thanks to its buddy-cop premise and a plot that doesn't require serious investment for it to be entertaining.
While the Chan-Cena element of the film is a no-brainer in terms of its success, "Hidden Strike" underwent a long gestation period before release, spending five years in post-production before seeing the light of day. Any other form of release format would have relegated the film to the inevitability of genre saturation — while it is not a Netflix original, the film's release on the streaming platform transforms "Hidden Strike" into a perfect late-night action flick. However, the action-thriller does suffer from hackneyed plot contrivances and a dearth of character complexity, and the two action stars emerge as the only salvageable aspects of a perfectly mediocre film with narrative stakes that are pretty predictable, yet fun.
In terms of the action sequences themselves, Waugh (who is best known for helming "Need for Speed") etches over-the-top portraits of violence and turmoil that function as the backdrop for the film's world. Set in the not-so-distant future, "Hidden Strike" highlights the tense power play among nations and the collateral damage that such machinations bring about, with two men caught in the crosshairs of their duties.
What makes Hidden Strike so entertaining?
If you're interested in an action extravaganza with a meaningful plot or memorable characters, "Hidden Strikes" is bound to disappoint on all fronts. However, the best way to approach the film is to shift one's focus to what matters — i.e. the relationship between Dragon and Chris, and the slapstick comedy that unfolds naturally when the two share the screen. What occurs in the periphery is immaterial, as this dynamic is the film's beating heart (and only selling point), rendering its tense sociopolitics and vague attempts at conflict creation secondary. The best reason to linger around till the credits roll is the no-holds-barred action, which would have felt pretty generic if Chan wasn't there to elevate it with stunts that still manage to impress.
Words like "Green Zone" and "Highway of Death" are thrown around to convey the urgency of the central heist, which is essentially them facing off against a string of enemies along their journey. This formula, despite being tired, works in this context as the film does not take itself too seriously, embracing the silliness amid the seriousness of the central premise. The duo's shenanigans range from deliberate miscommunication to unintended errors, where mixed-up hand signs alternate between mission directions and an invitation to have a beer together. This tongue-in-cheek tone keeps the film consistently fun and breezy, with the action parts acting as thrilling punctuations that are worthwhile.
Check out the film's official synopsis:
"Two ex-special forces soldiers must escort a group of civilians along Baghdad's "Highway of Death" to the safety of the Green Zone."
"Hidden Strike" is currently streaming on Netflix.