‘Cleaner’ Review: A Charismatic Daisy Ridley Carries a Cheesy but Fun Action Flick Made in the ‘Die Hard’ Mold

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Recently, Daisy Ridley‘s career choices have been quite down-to-earth, encompassing various types of projects. Ranging from the small-scale yet gripping domestic thriller “Magpie” to the emotionally resonant office drama “Sometimes I Think About Dying,” and the motivational sports film “Young Woman and the Sea,” her diverse movie portfolio spans indie films with an edge and family blockbusters of classic stature.

In Martin Campbell’s “Cleaner,” director Lucy Lawless adds another action-packed gem to her collection, with a classic, high-stress thrill ride that challenges even the legendary exploits of Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt and Bruce Willis’ John McClane. To be clear, the modest delights of this straightforward “Cleaner” don’t come close to matching the heart-stopping moments in a Die Hard film or the impressive Mission: Impossible series. However, Lawless’ powerful portrayal as an action heroine, precariously perched on a risky swing-stage scaffolding, is so compelling that you find yourself cheering her on – both for Lawless, who appears to be enjoying every minute of B-movie excitement, and her character Joey, the title’s cleaner.

The film initially reveals several aspects of Joey’s life before an unexpected situation arises, where she finds herself precariously perched at One Canada Square in London, one of the United Kingdom’s tallest structures. For instance, she has a neurodivergent brother named Michael (played by Matthew Tuck), who is facing eviction from his care home due to misconduct on a particularly inconvenient day for Joey. Additionally, she is behind schedule at her window-cleaning job and doesn’t want Michael tagging along because it would only complicate matters further. However, the crisis at hand necessitates her brother’s presence at work, which appears to be an unavoidable part of her daily life.

Via Simon Uttley’s meticulous character development, we come to understand that caring for Michael was often left to Joey during their challenging upbringing in a neglectful household – a role she didn’t always handle smoothly. However, the trials of her childhood have molded Joey into a versatile individual in multiple aspects. Physically, she had to be stealthy within their house (Poppy Townsend White impressively portrays the young Joey in this regard), and emotionally, she learned to adapt to the frequent ups and downs of her life on a regular basis. Moreover, her military background lends her unwavering endurance.

Marcus (played by Clive Owen) was more compassionate and wanted to reveal the company’s wrongdoings to the public. However, Noah (Taz Skylar) had a less noble objective – he aimed to kill, even when Marcus opposed it.

There is something oddly delightful about a movie that leans into some basic and cheesy ’80s-action-movie machinations — good guys, bad guys, innocent corporate hostages, a rouge hero — and so on. But the plot still feels like a miscalculation due to Uttley’s haphazard misstep of shoehorning environmental concerns into the story. Despite the script’s insistence on making Noah a murderous evil baddie, Earth Revolution arguably has a valid point about the company they target on this side of the 21st Century. As such, you can’t help but wonder if the film would have gained something had it dropped its misguided and paper-thin attempt to tackle eco-terrorism, and made the bad guys anything other than environmentalists who aren’t promoting their cause in the right way.

Though ‘Cleaner’ may be light on thematic substance, its direction by Campbell shines, given his past success with films like ‘GoldenEye,’ ‘The Mask of Zorro,’ and ‘Casino Royale.’ Despite not offering anything particularly fresh or innovative, the skillful handling of action sequences provides a satisfying viewing experience. Ridley rises to every challenge presented, showcasing her abilities in well-executed fight scenes and subtler moments, such as her partnership with competent cop Ruth Gemmell. Whilst their bond doesn’t always feel authentic, both actresses strive to make their alliance convincing within the context of Campbell’s action movie conventions.

Ultimately, it’s Ridley who steals the show, with an energy and charm that leap off the screen no matter its size. She truly embodies the power she portrays.

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2025-02-21 11:16