Back in Action is a reminder that people will always watch garbage on Netflix if it has a great cast

Back in Action, the big new Netflix movie starring Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz, may be one of the biggest titles on the streamer at the moment -- but, in truth, it's nothing you haven't seen before. The two stars play a husband and wife who used to work as CIA spies but gave up the spook life to focus on their lovely family. And then one day, get this, their past comes back to find them because -- and this is the truly wild part -- their cover has been blown!

It's a dumb movie, with goofy action sequences, that's not meant at all to be taken seriously. Critics have already by and large dismissed it as such via a pitiful 26% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes ("fleeting and forgettable," laments one reviewer. Adds another: "There’s nothing here that hasn’t been done before, and audiences will likely forget about this one shortly after the credits roll"). At this point, to be honest, my suspicion is instantly triggered anytime Netflix releases a TV show or movie that's with characters even remotely connected to espionage work. It's pretty much guaranteed to be a stinker.

The interesting thing about Back in Action, however, is the viewership it's managed to rack up despite sucking. With just three days of streaming availability under its belt, the movie pulled in 46.8 million views -- obviously, far more than it deserved. Also, an amount that any rational person can clearly understand is largely attributable to the strength of its cast. Foxx, of course, is a beloved comedian and leading man, and as movies like 2004's Collateral show he can clearly act when he wants to.

Jamie Foxx as Matt and Cameron Diaz as Emily in Netflix's "Back In Action." Image source: Netflix

His costar, meanwhile, actually came out of retirement for Netflix's movie, and her inclusion in the cast was probably an even bigger draw than Foxx's name, to be honest. She hasn't been seen in a movie in years, and her being back no doubt scratched a nostalgic itch among many viewers.

It's clear to me that what most viewers did here was check out Back in Action largely on the strength of the cast -- but no doubt many found it an empty, less-than-satisfying experience by the time the credits rolled. I also highly doubt whether many people who watched it would ever want to watch it again. At any rate, the large viewership has obviously shown to the streaming giant that viewers will check out pretty much anything as long as it has a solid cast. The danger is that it accustoms viewers over time to gradually lower their expectations for new content from Netflix, the more the streamer puts out of the dumb, "leave your brain at the door to enjoy it" variety.

The post Back in Action is a reminder that people will always watch garbage on Netflix if it has a great cast appeared first on BGR.

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Back in Action is a reminder that people will always watch garbage on Netflix if it has a great cast originally appeared on BGR.com on Wed, 22 Jan 2025 at 14:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.