“Back in Action” Brings the Fun Back to the Spy Genre

Cameron Diaz returns to the screen in “Back in Action“, reuniting with Jamie Foxx for an action-comedy that blends high-energy sequences with humor. The film delivers a mix of fast-paced chases and comedic moments, marking Diaz’s return to the genre alongside her longtime co-star.

The story follows retired CIA agents Matt (Foxx) and Emily (Diaz) as they are unwillingly thrown back into the field again after going rogue fifteen years earlier. In those fifteen years, they have built a quiet life in the suburbs with their two children: Alice (McKenna Roberts) and Leo (Rylan Jackson).

Things are going well for the couple till an ex-colleague, Chuck (Kyle Chandler), comes knocking on their door with information about a bounty on their heads. When they went rogue, they had stolen an ICS Key–a weapon of mass destruction. Now, they must return it to avoid either arrest or death.

Emily and Matt, along with their children, run to England to reunite with Emily’s mother, Ginny (Glenn Close), who has the Key hidden in her estate. The reunion is bittersweet and filled with sharp words, the taking of ICS Key and the kidnapping of the children by the one person Emily and Matt thought was on their side—Chuck.

Emily and Matt journey to the Thames Barrier to save their children. With the help of Ginny’s boyfriend Nigel (Jamie Demetriou), and Emily’s ex-boyfriend Baron (Andrew Scott), they save them and recover the Key. Chuck is presumed dead in a boating fire.

The film ends on a cliffhanger as the ex-agents are informed that Chuck is not dead and a new family member will be needed to work in the field.

As living proof of its name, “Back in Action” delivers high-stake, strategically choreographed action that is pulsatingly pleasing. Director Seth Gordon injects humor into even the tensest moments, ensuring that the action never feels like too much of a burden. A standout sequence involves Diaz and Foxx fighting off teenagers at a nightclub their daughter is not supposed to be in. They feel satisfied only to find out the brawl has been posted on YouTube. The brawl triggers all the problems Emily and Matt face in the film.

From the very first scene, Diaz reminds us of her charm from the “Charlie’s Angels” days as she throws punches and goes toe-to-toe with opposition twice her size. She exudes charm and elegance as she slips back into action roles so effortlessly that it is hard to tell she was out of the game (willingly of course) for ten years. There is an ease to her performance that feels like a warm hug from a dear friend—familiar and delightful.

Foxx is no slacker of course as he matches Diaz’s energy with his comedic timing and action sequences. Whether he is navigating fighting off the mafia in an exploding plane, or trying to correct his children when they are going astray, Foxx is clearly having the time of his life as Matt-and it shows. Together, Diaz and Foxx make a dynamic duo that will forever be remembered in the action-comedy genre.

The supporting cast adds more flavor to “Back in Action” as they support Diaz and Foxx to deliver a compelling narrative. Close may have been introduced to audiences later in the film, but she steals the show with her British humor and knack for never being trusted with weapons and sharp objects. Demetriou provides a few laughs here and there with his wit and slightly inappropriate one-liners. Roberts and Jackson’s performances are also top-notch, contributing to the film’s central theme—family over everything.

Visually, “Back in Action” tries to tether towards the “less is more approach,” but still captures some exotic locations in Poland and England. The suburban life of a normal family is the main focal point of the cinematography, further reinforcing the central theme of family. The stunt work is the film’s greatest armor as it shields it from the subtle plot holes. The soundtrack, mostly filled with old-school rap music, encapsulates the nostalgic energy the film radiates.

The biggest problem “Back in Action” faces is that it is a generic and predictable film with one-dimensional characters. Finding films with the same plot and characters and in the same action-comedy genre is like finding candy in a candy store. It did not dare to be different and honestly, it did not have enough material to be.

Also, the film lacks emotional depth. To be clear, it never set out to be a film with that quality in the first place, but since it was mixed into the narrative via Emily’s disconnect with her mother Ginny, it could have been explored better. The conflict between them is easily swept under the rug and “resolved” when it is clear there is more to their story. Perhaps if Gordon had leveraged this using a little bit more backstory and a lot more emotional authenticity, “Back in Action” would not have been a bag of cliché  . It’s 2025 and audiences want to see more daring and out-of-the-box films from Hollywood. Playing it safe works—“Back in Action” earned the biggest opening weekend for an English language film with 46.8 million views on Netflix—but there is only so much “safe” a filmmaker can do till the narrative becomes repetitive.

The greatest win for “Back in Action” is how it leans into nostalgia without losing its modern tone. There are subtle nods to Diaz and Foxx’s past works like “Charlie’s Angels” and “Any Given Sunday,” yet the film still feels very fresh and exciting. The balance, made perfect by Gordon, ensures that both new audiences and those who grew up watching Diaz and Foxx in their prime walk away entertained.

“Back in Action” is a good entry into the action-comedy genre—a film that is ventured into for the sake of the laughs and the chance to see Diaz and Foxx in their element. It’s a natural comeback for Diaz after a long hiatus; hopefully, she will return to acting full-time this year because Hollywood definitely missed one of its shining stars.

Release Date: January 17, 2025

Runtime: 1 hour and 54 minutes

Streaming Service: Netflix

Director: Seth Gordon

Cast: Cameron Diaz, Jamie Foxx, Andrew Scott, Jamie Demetriou, Kyle Chandler, Glenn Close, Rylan Jackson, McKenna Roberts, and Tom Brittney

TNR Scorecard: