‘Back in Action’ Review: Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz in a Domestic Spy Caper as Generic as Its Title

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In “Back in Action,” a movie as predictable as its name suggests, Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz portray CIA agents who happen to be in a romantic relationship. They’re invited to a birthday party hosted by a cyberterrorist from Belarus, whose safe they intend to break into. However, their identities are exposed within just a few minutes. They must then battle their way out of the criminal’s mansion, which is depicted in an extended series of intense fight scenes, all set to Frank Sinatra’s “L.O.V.E.” (“L…is for the way you look… at me…”). The song serves a humorous contrast, emphasizing the film’s carefree tone. Essentially, it’s the movie’s way of suggesting: Don’t worry about the plot, don’t think too much, just relax and enjoy this week’s Netflix offering, as that seems to be its only purpose.

Seth Gordon, the director of “Back in Action,” operates with a mindset rooted in cartoonish scenarios. He sees this as his role, and the film’s primary approach seems to be orchestrating intense action sequences set to classic tunes, making “Back in Action” somewhat predictable in its game plan. In one scene, our protagonists find themselves under attack by the flight crew on a MI6 plane, which they swiftly annihilate while Sinatra’s voice serenades them with “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head.” The pilot gets hit, the plane begins to plummet, but there’s Frank, grooving to the music. Later, Foxx and Diaz repurpose gas-station hoses as flamethrowers to torch their adversaries; the distressing visuals of people being consumed by fire coincide with Etta James crooning “At Last.” They emerge victorious from the battle, but it’s crucial to note: The way this movie presents violence is a questionable entertainment tactic, bordering on misanthropy.

Following the plane accident, Matt (Foxx) and Emily (Diaz), who was expecting a child, decided to simulate their own deaths and start an ordinary life. The movie subsequently shifts to the present, where they are suburban parents of two children, Alice (McKenna Roberts), 14, and Leo (Rylan Jackson), 12. However, they are compelled to return to the action when they follow Alice to a nightclub, where she is with some older men. In an unlikely sequence, they extract Alice from the club by attacking a few other partygoers. This violent act was essential to ensure that a video of it spreads online, revealing their past as secret agents.

With their children joining them, they’re off to London, a city where Matt has hidden the ICS key, the rather uninteresting plot device for the movie. If they manage to get it and return it to the CIA, they can use it as bargaining power to secure immunity. However, the key is something everyone covets, even their former terrorist adversaries…

In “Back in Action,” it seems like the creators decided to recreate the 2005 action-packed, explosive, and chaotic remake of “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” featuring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, but this time with less intellectual depth. They wanted a simpler, more aggressive version – something louder, dumber, and without as much dialogue. The plot in “Back in Action” is minimal, mainly focusing on Will Smith and Cameron Diaz brutally fighting various opponents. Between the action sequences, they portray themselves as casual and carefree, almost like they’re playing the parents in a modern-day “Family Ties.

In this film, the two main actors have a unique chemistry, a blend of marital tension and action-packed drama. When Glenn Close enters as Emily’s British mother, Ginny, who is a retired spy herself, the movie takes a momentary pause before picking up pace. Ginny’s assistant, Nigel (played by Jamie Demetriou), is in training to become a spy and is also romantically involved with her, despite their significant age difference. However, it becomes evident that Nigel is out of his depth. This leads to a humorous scene where he must save London by correctly typing on a laptop, mirroring the frustration most of us feel when dealing with digital challenges. Yet, Nigl’s uncertainty provides a refreshing contrast to the film’s other characters who are overly confident at all times, creating a comic-thriller dynamic that is otherwise lacking in one-dimensional badass certainty.

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2025-01-18 07:46