Netflix’s Apex opens with an unsettling close-up of Charlize Theron’s hands as she superglues and tapes up a few of her blistered fingers. The camera then shifts to show her husband waking up from sleep. They’re in a tent. Probably camping. Then, Theron’s Sasha unzips the tent to reveal that the couple are high up on a terrifying, cold, snowy mountain top, casually relaxing millions of kilometres from the ground. Nobody in their right mind would be able to remain this calm at that altitude in those conditions. But it’s an opening that perfectly sets the tone for everything that’s about to come.
Two years ago, there were reports that Rocket Science and Thank You Pictures were working on a Cliffhanger reboot, without Sylvester Stallone. That film, starring Lily James and Pierce Brosnan, is currently struggling to find a distributor, which isn’t very surprising considering fan reaction online. Watching Netflix’s Apex, I couldn’t help but wonder if this film would have made a better reboot instead.
It has the main components of the 1993 action thriller: tension, mountain climbing, and a guilt-stricken lead that must overcome the elements to survive. The rest of the story is completely different, of course, but the bones are there.
Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton play a very dangerous game of cat and mouse when she ventures off into the wild and remote forests of Australia. As a hunter, Taron’s character uses his charm to lure her into a trap that sees the rock climber fighting for her life as he tracks her down in what he calls a “ritual” and a “right of passage.”
We’ve seen plenty of films that focus on two characters going head-to-head recently. Sam Raimi’s Send Help, starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien, recently received rave reviews from critics and did really well at the box office. And it’s easy to see that Netflix’s Apex could have done the same.
Generally, most Netflix movies feel like they were made to be enjoyed on the small screen in your home. But with Apex, I could argue that this was a film that could have done just as well in movie theaters. It has action, suspense, tension, and really great performances from its two leads. The perfect recipe for a great thriller.
But what most viewers will appreciate the most isn’t the action sequences or even the tension as she hangs off the cliffs, it’s the quiet moments where the director allows Sasha to take a moment to reflect and do internal retrospection. The scenes where she remains completely calm amidst the unforgiving terrain, working through forgiveness and all the other powerful emotions she’s processing, make Apex stand out as more than just another survival story.
When the dust and snow finally settle, Apex leaves you with the quiet realisation that survival isn’t just about making it out alive… it’s about letting go of the weight that was pulling you down in the first place.
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The Review
Apex
A brutal game of survival unfolds as Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton deliver a tense, character-driven thriller that hits just as hard emotionally as it does physically.
Review Breakdown
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Verdict
