Hidden Strike (2023)

​"Hidden Strike" stars Jackie Chan, John Cena, Pilou Asbaek, and Ma Chunrui. Released in the United Arab Emirates on July 6, 2023, followed by a United States release on July 29, 2023, the film has an ex-special forces soldier escorting civilians to the Green Zone.

The film was directed by Scott Waugh, who also directed "Act of Valor", "Need for Speed", and "6 Below: Miracle on the Mountain". When there are not many big movies playing this month, aside from "Blue Beetle" and "Gran Turismo", there's only one other place to go to for more movie-reviewing goodness: streaming. Of course, when I said "streaming", I meant Netflix. There are plenty of recent options for me to discover on the streaming service, but only one managed to catch my eye, and it stars two of the biggest action stars on the planet: Jackie Chan and John Cena. You read that right, folks. The famous international martial artist is teaming up with a former wrestler/movie star for an action bonanza involving an evacuation mission through a dangerous desert. This latest movie from Scott Waugh made its debut in the United Arab Emirates last month, and now it's made its way to the U.S.A. via a Netflix release for us to enjoy at home. So was it another thrill ride that's worth watching with a Netflix account, or are we better off taking a safer shortcut to the better films from the genre? Let's find out.

The film follows "Dragon" Luo Feng (Chan), an ex-special forces soldier. Along with his private security company, Feng is tasked to evacuate the employees in a convoy along the Highway of Death to the Green Zone. The reason is that a group of mercenaries led by Owen Paddock (Asbaek) attacked an oil refinery in Iraq. Meanwhile, former US Marine Chris Van Horne (Cena) joins his brother Henry (Amadeus Serafini) to help Owen invade the convey so he can earn a big paycheck. The attack resulted in five civilians getting kidnapped, including Professor Cheng (Jiang Wenli), who has the authorization codes for the oil refinery, leading to Feng attempting to rescue them. When Owen's true intentions are revealed, Chris eventually teams up with Feng to prevent the mercenary leader from performing the biggest oil heist in history.

This is another movie that unintentionally appeared right in front of me while skimming through social media. I saw that it had Chan and Cena starring together, and I was immediately hooked. Unfortunately, it took me a long time to get to it because of its availability. Lucky for me, Netflix is the best place to find plenty of content made for international audiences, especially anime and action movies. So when I discovered that "Hidden Strike" debuted on the streaming service a few weeks ago, I took the opportunity to check it out, knowing how much I enjoy watching the two actors onscreen individually. Seeing the two sharing the screen is also a neat bonus, especially when you're an action fan like me. Unfortunately, this action blunder wasn't the perfect way to celebrate Chan's latest collaboration.

Undoubtedly, "Hidden Strike" offers what is advertised in the marketing. It's an action-packed thrill ride involving two people from different sides cooperating to take down a criminal and their mercenaries. It's like "Rush Hour", but with two former soldiers in a Mad Max-like setting instead of cops in a city. There are also plenty of cliches included to make the audiences grow attached to the characters. One involves the strained relationship between Feng and his daughter Mei (Chunrui), which occurred after Feng left her alone for a special mission. There's also Chris being a protector of a rural village by finding enough money to fix its well. Everything you expect from any other action movie on the planet exists in "Hidden Strike", a film involving fistfights, guns, explosions, and Jackie Chan. If that's what you're looking for, you might be mostly satisfied with the experience.

Sadly, regarding its narrative and genre, the film didn't fully capitalize on its fun premise, especially for those looking for a unique and immensely thrilling experience. It's an underwhelming, by-the-numbers affair that lacks the genuine authenticity of its world and a sense of amusement. Arash Amel's screenplay involves the film choosing a random narrative cliche from a page and throwing it on the screen. Instead of sticking to the surface, the cliches shown quickly fell off in seconds, as they only exist to advance the plot rather than display the heart behind them. It doesn't help that it also has uninspired characters that struggle to provide charisma through their mundane personalities, including the movie's antagonist, Owen. Combine those things with its subpar dialogue, and you get a mishmash of many other action films that offers very little to its formula.

Scott Waugh isn't what I would call a perfect director who comes from the stuntman world. He means well in displaying the entertaining action scenes, but his directorial style leaves much to be desired, especially regarding his storytelling. "Act of Valor" and "Need for Speed" were the examples that offer this imbalance. While the action sequences in those films were delightful to watch, they often get overshadowed by lackluster direction, plot, and editing. Unsurprisingly, "Hidden Strike" marks another example of this trend. There are some scenes that were mildly entertaining and had some nicely-crafted shots, including the sandstorm sequence, but Waugh's approach for everything else is pretty bare-bones. That includes the visual effects, which periodically look cheaply rendered, mainly for the set pieces and some of its car stunts.  

The only thing that I would credit the movie for is the cast. I undoubtedly enjoy Jackie Chan in most of the films I've seen. It's not just because of his eagerness to perform his stunts. He also can provide plenty of charm in his acting. His performance as Luo Feng is no exception. While not his best work, Chan still hasn't missed a step in keeping me entertained through his presence, whether he's punching bad guys or not. John Cena also had moments regarding his role as Chris, even if it's not on par with his other performances. But what about the chemistry between the two main stars, which is crucial in elevating its formulaic plot? Honestly, it was so-so. Most movies I've seen with Jackie Chan and his co-lead have a sense of endearment and playfulness that benefitted from their chemistry, with "Rush Hour" being the prime example of this occasion. However, "Hidden Strike" tried and failed to be one of them, as Chan and Cena's chemistry was poorly handled by Waugh's direction and the film's bland humor. Pilou Asbaek and Ma Chunrui were also okay in their roles as Owen and Mei, respectively.

Overall, "Hidden Strike" is a lackluster imitation of other action films that isn't as explosive as the exploding oil tanks. The movie offers plenty of entertaining action scenes that'll likely please specific viewers looking for a simplistic violent affair. It also has Jackie Chan doing what he does best regarding his charisma and stunt work. Sadly, they're not enough to elevate the film's disappointingly bland approach to its basic plot. From the uninspired direction from Scott Waugh to the weak chemistry between Chan and Cena, the movie wastes an exciting combination of its main leads with a forgettable and formulaic trek through the desert wasteland. Fans of the two leads will likely get some amusement off of them fighting and bickering together, but other than that, you're better off rejecting this mission.

D