Kevin Hart's Lift Is Number One On Netflix, But Is It Really Worth The Watch?
Kevin Hart just can't seem to stop making stuff. The comedian can be found everywhere right now, from his Peacock talk show to his standup specials, and of course, Netflix. The biggest current streaming platform has hosted many a Hart-led project in recent years, and most of them have kind of come and gone without too much fanfare. Which is a shame because, at one point, the man convinced the great Wesley Snipes to appear alongside him in "True Story," a limited series partly based on Hart's own experiences. "True Story" topped the Nielsen streaming chart but, as the Chicago Tribune surmised, it sadly "lack[ed] any depth beyond what Snipes is bringing to it."
Now, Hart's at it again, this time with a new film helmed by "Straight Outta Compton" director F. Gary Gray that looks ... similarly kind of ok. In late 2023, the "Lift" trailer arrived, promising a $500 million mid-air plane heist organized by Hart's character. The whole thing felt unfortunately reminiscent of "Money Plane," the ill-fated 2020 actioner in which Kelsey Grammer puts together an airborne casino heist. But surely Hart wasn't trying to ape the film that the Daily Beast called, "The dumbest movie of 2020," right?
Well, now "Lift" has landed, and it seems audiences are responding much more positively to this airborne heist movie than to "Money Plane." In fact, the film is currently number one on Netflix. But we all know that doesn't actually mean much, so is "Lift" really worth your time?
Netflix viewers are loving Lift
There's not too much you need to understand about "Lift" and its plot to decide whether it's for you or not. Kevin Hart plays Cyrus Whitaker, who, in an effort to make amends for his previous crimes, leads an international heist crew to steal $500 million in gold that's headed to a terrorist organization. The only problem is that he and his team will have to pull off the heist by stealing the gold from a passenger plane while it's flying at 40,000 feet.
According to streaming data aggregator FlixPatrol, that's a surefire recipe for success. "Lift" debuted on Netflix on January 12, and immediately rose to the number one spot on the streamer's global charts. It remains number one in the UK and U.S. at the time of writing, but it's also claimed the top spot in dozens of other countries, certifying "Lift" as a sure-fire success.
Again, at this point, we all know that Netflix viewers will pretty much watch anything, which makes deciding whether to give "Lift" a try that much more of a dilemma. Aside from the echoes of "Money Plane," "Lift" feels very much in the vein of other Netflix action efforts like "The Gray Man" and "Heart of Stone." These slick streaming movies are remarkable for the way in which they enter and leave your consciousness with the quickness of an expertly planned heist, leaving you with the uncanny feeling of knowing you've seen them but not remembering much, if anything, about what happens. So, is "Lift" yet another example of this bizarre modern phenomenon? Well, judging by the reviews, probably, yeah.
Critics aren't wild about Lift
Despite topping the Netflix charts, Kevin Hart's latest project is unfortunately languishing on Rotten Tomatoes with a 32% score. The critics just aren't convinced about "Lift," which Vulture claims wastes a good cast (Vincent D'Onofrio's in there!) and points out that the heist itself isn't as important as the chemistry between the ensemble. Sadly, that's a point that, from Vulture's perspective, seems to have been lost on the filmmakers.
Elsewhere, The Hollywood Reporter calls "Lift" clunky, even while praising some of the thrills contained within. But the New York Times is far less forgiving, dubbing Hart's latest a "poorly-written action vehicle" and taking the comedian to task for possessing "neither the charisma of [Tom] Cruise nor the charm of [Robert] Redford necessary to shoulder these action movie mechanics." Still, at least Brian Lowry over at CNN thinks the film is "fine for what it is," which is about as glowing as the praise gets.
One issue that some viewers may have, as highlighted by Polygon, is that Kevin Hart isn't the Kevin Hart you might be expecting here. The man has tried to branch out from comedy in recent years, especially on the press tour for "True Story" where he made a frequently bizarre effort to maintain a "serious" look during interviews (which may or may not have been a joke but came off as creating a fairly uncomfortable atmosphere). It seems this is also what happens in "Lift," where Hart plays the straight man throughout.
If you're into that sort of thing, then maybe "Lift" is for you. But just remember going in that Netflix's Top 10 was designed to distract from the company's flimsy viewing metrics, so don't trust a film just because it's number one — especially when the reviews aren't exactly glowing.