Theoretically, as an action movie, Infiltrate should work. Writer and director James Mark, best known for his stunt background, assembles a group of actors who are also widely known for their stuntwork. But instead of a shrewd all-out action extravaganza, this film becomes a bizarre hybrid of Collateral, Scream, and John Wick that ultimately buckles under its own ambition.
Orphée Ladouceur-Nguyen stars as Agent Lily Chen who gets assigned to a sting operation to take down the dangerous criminal Marcel Lafleur (Kickboxer: Vengeance‘s Alain Moussi). There’s one problem: Lily and her husband, John (Tim Rozon), were about to go on a vacation. John isn’t happy with the news that holiday plans are canceled and heads out for a walk to clear his head. He doesn’t return home, but Lily receives a phone call from an unknown caller, who has kidnapped John and orders her to assassinate several criminals before the night is over.
Instantly, Infiltrate‘s tonal clashes stand out because they aren’t consistent. Mark tries to infuse character and personality into the main villains: Marcel is a psycho who likes to use the blood of his victims for his paintings, and his two main goons, Romeo (Finn Higgins) and Juliet (Mitra Suri), get off on any sniff of violence. However, the rest of the antagonists lack the memorable quirks needed to match these three. If Mark is going to commit to this approach, the film needs to go all in and give every bad guy an idiosyncrasy instead of relying on generic villains to fill the gaps.
The movie’s subplots and Lily’s backstory also fail to meaningfully support the main narrative. The flashbacks showcase that Lily deals with a traumatic memory of a past mission, and John pushes her to not take dangerous work in one brief interaction. But this type of story would be far more compelling if Lily had made the active decision to leave her job then gets forced back into action to save John.
The clunky twist at the end of the film doesn’t aid the narrative choices here either – and it’s telegraphed relatively early in the film – leaving the viewer likely shaking their head at the implausibility of what they have seen. It’s a reminder that an action movie doesn’t need to be overly complicated; all it requires is believable emotional stakes and a clear throughline.
On the positive side, Infiltrate features decent action – at least intermittently. The first fight scene is probably the worst with its manic cuts making it borderline unwatchable, but it improves from there with the best encounter being Lily’s brutal and bloody final showdown with Marcel. And seriously, can we make shaky cam illegal in 2026? It’s time to trust the choreography and stunt performers instead of hiding them behind jittery camerawork that undermines the talent involved.
Performance-wise, Ladouceur-Nguyen impresses as the lead. Even if Lily’s characterization isn’t always consistent, Ladouceur-Nguyen sells the character to the audience. In terms of the antagonists, it’s tough to look past Moussi. It’s clear he’s having fun as the villain, hamming it up and playing his part like a bad guy from an ’80s action movie – the kind who knows exactly what film he’s in.
Infiltrate is a good idea but executed poorly. Apart from a few highlight action scenes, such as when Lily uses her high heels to defend a knife attack, the rest is unmemorable. It’s the kind of movie you watch once and immediately forget. While James Mark might be looking to imitate Chad Stahelski as the next stunt-performer-turned-blockbuster-director – and there’s certainly potential there – he could learn a thing or two from Stahelski’s ability to simplify his storytelling and let the action speak for itself.
The Review
Infiltrate
Except for a few decent action scenes, Infiltrate fails to infiltrate the imagination.
Review Breakdown
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Verdict
