By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
Cameron Diaz is finally back in a movie, bringing her 10-year acting hiatus to a close, and it’s easy to forget that she walked away while on top as one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. In a world where it’s common for stars and athletes to hang on a little too long, it’s commendable that Diaz decided to take her money, invest in businesses she believed in, and choose to live the life she wanted. But now, she’s back alongside one of her best friends, Jamie Foxx, in Back in Action, a Netflix action comedy throwback that, if not for Diaz, would be completely forgettable.
Cameron Diaz Is Back
Back in Action would be lost amid a sea of Netflix originals without the added attention from Diaz’s return. As Matt and Emily married former spies living under fake identities while raising their kids, Foxx and Diaz sparkle in what’s essentially Mr. and Mrs. Smith if they had a healthy relationship. After showing off at a nightclub, the pair’s cover is blown, and it touches off a race to recover the Industrial Control System (or ICS, which remains a fun way to spell “Mcguffin”) while keeping their kids safe.
Joining the pair are the always delightful Kyle Chandler and Glenn Close, in what isn’t a reprisal of her character from Red but might as well be since she’s again given a sniper rifle and a license to kill. Amazingly, the cast isn’t stocked from top to bottom with A-list stars but given how Back in Action ends, it’s clear Netflix has plans already in place for a sequel. Whether or not that’s a good thing rests entirely on how you feel about old-school action comedies.
Cameron Diaz Is Still A Star
Back in Action suffers from being a Netflix movie, with the same standard awkward lighting in every scene and a need for characters to actively talk about what they’re doing, just in case someone isn’t actually watching the movie but has it on as background noise. Compared to Red Notice, the streamer’s other star-studded spy adventure, Foxx and Diaz’s caper is easily superior, but it’s just as fluffy and inconsequential. There’s no weight to the stakes, and everyone might as well be winking at the camera when delivering goofy technobabble lines about the ICS, but since the film’s been number one since it debuted, it’s clear it’s found an audience.
Holding onto the top spot as Netflix’s most popular movie since it debuted, Back in Action is unoriginal, filled with barely sketched-out characters, the flimsiest of motivations for the villain, cheap-looking special effects, and yet it’s an absolute blast. It’s similar to the Rush Hour trilogy in that the charm and star power of the leads elevate the rest of the film. Cameron Diaz hasn’t lost a step and, at age 52, could have a second act in Hollywood just as successful as her first.
If it came out 10 years ago, Back in Action would have been in theaters, but during Diaz’s hiatus, the entertainment landscape changed, and Netflix originals have the budget and star power of major theatrical releases. Most movie fans will agree that it’s not a change for the better, and as fun as it is seeing Cameron Diaz again, you can’t help but wonder if we missed out on something special. Then again, 46.8 million people have already watched the film on Netflix, so despite the lackluster release, it’s still a huge hit.
You can judge for yourself and enjoy a good old-fashioned action comedy romp by streaming Back in Action today on Netflix.