Michael Bay makes his streaming debut with Netflix’s '6 Underground', a high-octane action thriller that takes viewers on a globe-trotting adventure from the narrow streets of Italy to high rise hotels in Hong Kong. The film is unapologetically violent and explosive in typical Michael Bay style, and while it makes for some entertaining action sequences, the same can’t be said for the narrative.
Ryan Reynolds stars as ‘One’, a billionaire who faked his own death in order to start a team of anonymous vigilantes whose job it is to bring justice to those who deserve it, and prevent global catastrophes. Joining Reynolds includes Mélanie Laurent, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ben Hardy, Adria Arjona, Dave Franco, and Corey Hawkins. Each of them plays a character that are the best at what they do, and live their lives as ghosts just like ‘One’. In '6 Underground' the team set off on a mission to take down the brutal dictator (played by Lior Raz) of a fictional country called Turgistan. As they set off on their mission, will the actions of these ‘dead’ individuals be remembered? Or will they die trying?
'6 Underground' may start by sounding like some sort of luxury brand commercial with a Ryan Reynolds voiceover, but that soon becomes the least of its problems. Despite the film having a promising premise, Bay’s execution is nothing short of messy, and at times chaotic, leaving viewers with a shallow story blanketed in mindless, explosive action. The uneven script, courtesy of Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese, doesn’t help the film either. The pair pen a script that feels uninspired and one that can’t be salvaged by its talented cast, who are given nothing but bland, generic mush to work with. The film’s inability to give its cast good material to work with ends up dulling their performances into being lacklustre and forgettable. However, Reynolds and Laurent both manage to deliver somewhat strong performances given the circumstances and material they've got to work with.
The film allows Michael Bay to fully indulge in his explosive, high-octane tendencies, and while it makes for entertaining action, it also means the female characters are unnecessarily sexualised. For example, in one scene Mélanie Laurent is seen lying across the bed as though she’s doing a lingerie commercial instead of a scene with her co-star. Some of the film’s other issues include confusing flashbacks that for some reason only give background to some of the characters, and end up being more puzzling than informative. However, the film does have some positive merits, even if they’re few and far between. For example, ‘6 Underground’s action sequences are accompanied by fitting songs like ‘White Flag’ by Bishop Briggs and ‘Glory’ by The Score that with their loud, thunderous tones match the hype of the action on screen.
A strong performance from Ryan Reynolds, a man with electric screen presence who can make almost anything entertaining, cannot salvage the hot mess that is ‘6 Underground’ , a film that struggles with its need for action over story, and a director who’s more concerned with spectacle than making a coherent film. If you’re looking for two hours of mindless fun with gory violence and high-stakes action, then ‘6 Underground’ is right up your alley, but if you were hoping for an engaging Netflix thriller that doesn’t waste its talent then I suggest you keep scrolling.