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