Hidden Strike – Review

An action movie starring John Cena and Jackie Chan would have been a much better prospect ten or so years ago. When Cena was still the go-to guy in the wrestling business, and with Chan closing in on retirement but still had the on-screen stamina to perform his own stunts at a high quality. But with the turn of the tide in the movie industry where the heavy reliance of CGI renders the once powerful production value now obsolete, and streaming services wanting to cash in on a quick buck, Hidden Strike follows this flow of moviemaking mediocrity.

There’s no doubt in my mind that with the right story and right team behind it, I can see there being no reason why this team up couldn’t have once been a heavy hitter. They both have the star power to carry even the flimsiest of projects to possible success, but even if Hidden Strike had released during their prime, it would have found its home right in the bargain bin.

These two veterans of violence come to blows when Dragon Luo (Chan) – leader of the Shadow Squad (yes, seriously) – heads an extraction mission in the Middle East, when a group of workers at an oil refinery come under attack from mercenaries. One of these mercenaries being Chris (Cena). A henchmen for hire who later it turns out has a heart, when Chris has a disagreement with his employer Paddock (Pilou Asbaek). The two men then join forces as they hope to dismantle a desert based oil heist.

The biggest of many issues with Hidden Strike, lies with its production department. Its preposterous presentation poisons any possibility of narrow success. Landscapes look lacklustre and lifeless, the characters look like they’re composited in many of the shots and some of the camera work is visually clunky and chaotic. By no account are Cena and Chan offered a sturdy script, but I don’t envy the situation they were put in.

They try to work with what they’re given but there’s little weight behind any of it. The best we get out of their interactions is in the blooper reel during the movie’s credits – something of a trademark for Chan movies – where Cena’s improv skills show a more prosperous alternative to what we were given. This is also sadly the only time their chemistry really flourishes throughout.

Directed by Scott Waugh (Act of Valor, Need for Speed and the soon to be released Expendables 4) and written by Arash Amel, this Netflix original struggled to even see its release, and its post-production woes are apparent. The action scenes on display are mediocre at best, and the script is silly and doesn’t force anything out of its stars. One can question whether or not there was heavy studio involvement or a rushed release date that caused the whole project to feel clunky and unfinished, but after a solid run from Netflix this summer this just feels like an insult.

Hidden Strike is certainly within striking distance for the worst film of the year. The project lacks any sort of ingenuity and its desert based setting gives off a more Bad Max than a Mad Max. This Hidden Strike hideous strike-out fumbles every aspect with the misuse of its leading stars being perhaps its biggest drawback.