Best Weekend Watch: 3 Action Thrillers on Netflix, October 31-November 1
A gritty vigilante returns
Antoine Fuqua directs The Equalizer, starring Denzel Washington as Robert McCall, a retired Marine and DIA officer. McCall returns to action to protect Teri, a teenager being trafficked by the Russian mafia. Chloë-Grace Moretz plays Teri, while David Harbour appears as a villain.
The film received largely mixed reviews, but its forceful violence and stylish action deliver a straightforward vigilante thriller. The article also notes that the movie is scoring big on Netflix and describes its two sequels as solid, with Pedro Pascal and Dakota Fanning joining Washington.
An intense Indonesian crime story
In Timo Tjahjanto’s The Night Comes for Us, Iko Uwais plays a crime enforcer who rescues a young girl from a crime syndicate. Joe Taslim plays a rising gang prospect sent to find her, putting the two characters in conflict.
The 2018 film is marked by relentless, highly violent action, elaborate choreography and substantial gore. Uwais and Taslim anchor the rivalry, while the ending combines hope and nihilism. Its intensity may be too much for some viewers.
A hunt in the wilderness
Apex stars Charlize Theron as Sasha, a rock climber and kayaker grieving her boyfriend’s recent death. While in the Australian wilderness, she becomes the target of Ben, a local played by Taron Egerton who hunts people for sport.
The survival thriller pairs the actors in a cat-and-mouse story against a striking landscape. Theron’s character faces both the elements and her personal grief, while Egerton takes on a violent role. Though the story is described as far from original, its setting and performances make the action immersive.
Key points
- The Equalizer follows Robert McCall as he protects a teenager from the Russian mafia.
- The Night Comes for Us pits characters played by Iko Uwais and Joe Taslim against each other.
- Apex stars Charlize Theron as a woman hunted in the Australian wilderness.
- The three films offer vigilante action, violent crime drama and survival suspense.