Apex, new survival thriller from director Baltasar Kormákur, will begin with Netflix On Friday. Movie stars Charlize Theron as Sasha, a grieving woman who, after an unforeseeable mountain accident, travels to Australia to find closure. Once there, he finds himself embroiled in an intense game of cat and mouse as he is hunted by a vicious local named Ben (played by Taron Egerton).
There’s a lot the movie could have explored in its 90-minute runtime, especially about loss and letting go. Alas, it’s all surface, no depth. It’s weird — but at least that place looks cool.
Let’s back up for a minute and discuss the opening moments of the movie. We are soon introduced to Sasha, who wakes up in a tent tied to the side of a mountain. This is a normal life for her and her husband, Tommy (played by Eric Bana), and it’s understandable that the couple gets on a lot of rocks. But Sasha reaches the side of the rock she can’t climb, and, frustrated, they stay on the side of the mountain for a very long time.
All the while, the blizzard is closing in.
Maybe I watch too much disaster filmsbut the story escalated predictably from there. Due to the weather changes and bad weather, Tommy is knocked unconscious (or quickly killed) and Sasha must free his rope or die with him.
And that’s Eric Bana’s wrap.
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Eric Bana stars in Apex.
This opening sequence took place in mere minutes, in my opinion, nowhere near enough time to establish the emotional connection between the two characters that would inspire him to take a solo trip to the wilds of Australia. But we all deal with grief differently, I think.
Needless to say, when he arrives, Sasha finds himself in a situation he was not prepared for. Red flags line the cluttered wall of missing persons posters at the local police station and the group of suspicious men he quickly meets on his camping trip in an unfamiliar area.
And that’s where Egerton’s seemingly harmless Ben comes into the picture. Soon, Apex turns into something out of a horror movie, and Ben (and his trusty bow) hunts the American deep in the woods, because that’s what he does to pass the time.
This is all you need to know about the story. I’m leaving heavy spoilers for you to find out what direction the movie takes from there.
Taron Egerton and Charlize Theron play Apex.
It brings me no joy to write a negative review. First of all, I know very well how challenging it is to make a film. Not to mention, Apex was shot entirely on location; Theron and Egerton literally raced through the Australian bush and battled through all kinds of terrain, from the side of a mountain to white water.
Theron did a lot of her own stunts and trained to believably portray a rock climber, and she really excelled at it. That focus on realism in the field results in a lot of jaw-dropping visuals that beg to be seen on the big screen. But alas, Apex is a streaming release.
Still, all of this is admirable, considering how many Netflix titles are produced entirely on soundstage in front of a green screen, with digital effects added later to create the world of the story. But I can’t help but feel that the focus on the details involved here comes at the expense of the emotional depth that a story like this requires.
Apex relies heavily on lead acting talent, and Theron and Egerton deliver the goods, no question. Without their power against each other, I don’t think Apex will be worth the time at all. This may be Theron’s movie, but Egerton steals the show. More on him in a moment.
Charlize Theron stars in Apex.
If you look at Theron’s IMDb page, it’s clear that her acting career is full of different roles. He can hold his own in an indie comedy, an arthouse drama, a Marvel blockbuster and Arrested Development. He brings a timeless calmness to Sasha, which appreciates the character’s strength without spoon-feeding the audience.
All he has to do is stand and stare at Egerton and his silence speaks volumes. Without much discussion, you easily enter a suitable entry point for the viewer to interact with.
Egerton, on the other hand, goes all in on Ben’s cruelty. He’s a backwoods Hannibal Lecter, complete with his own unique jerky recipe. It should be mentioned that Egerton is British, he does an incredible Australian accent, which is not easy. There is a grab bag of other horrors that make Ben scary, on the same level, at times, as Norman Bates. You can tell that Egerton is playing this character. I was blown away looking at him.
Performance can only take things so far, though. Without the chemistry between Theron and Egerton, stunning visuals and solid camera work, Apex is nothing. That’s a sad thing to write, given the idea that this is a story about loss, grief and survival.
I wouldn’t say Apex isn’t worth your time. If you’re looking for some empty calorie scares to end the weekend, you can find it here. Don’t expect more than that.
