'Apex' review: Charlize Theron is the prey to Taron Egerton's predator

Netflix

I guess no one ever tells you that after falling in love, you might suffer your last fall in front of your love. This message is brought to you by Apex, the new survival action thriller that may prevent you from enjoying the wilderness altogether the next time you're trying to touch grass. Charlize Theron stars as Sasha, an adventurous spirit whose significant other Tommy (Eric Bana) dies in the movie's harrowing opening scene when they're rock climbing in Norway. Five months later, we reconvene in Australia where Sasha is travelling solo, planning to do some river kayaking. On her way to the national park, she's harassed by local hunters until another local fella, Ben (Taron Egerton), steps in before giving her advice about where to camp. At the riverside, the hunters show up unexpectedly. Next day, Sasha's belongings are missing and once she runs into Ben again, her trip turns into a dangerous predator-prey situation.

Theron engaged in a deadly chase; Egerton playing a little freak with a weird smile whilst trying out a new accent (although he refuses the urge to hit play on Bonnie Tyler's 'Holding Out For A Hero' this time and chooses another song); Bana found at the scene of the crime as someone falls to their death at a popular climbing spot; and director Baltasar Kormákur pitting people human against a beastly predator in a game of survival. It sure does seem like writer Jeremy Robbins' script was eventually produced by an algorithm that combined all of these elements, and hence no one is stepping out of their comfort zone, but this is still a fairly successful endeavour because no one was so bored by the material that they'd rather phone it in. The end result is a perfectly competent outing, which has juuust enough stakes and silliness. Plus, it gets in and out in less than 90 minutes before the credits. Hooray.

Perhaps the most significant factor—edging out the depth of the characters and barely-there themes like *shudders* grief and cruelty if you can believe it—is the environment. The real locations that were used are rather stunning and Lawrence Sher's cinematography uses great camera movement to capture the action. (Although it should be noted that another killer predator thriller by the same distributor looks much better thanks to better colour detail and grading, just to add to the point about an algorithm calling the shots.) Nevertheless, whatever blend of locations and VFX (supervised by Enrik Pavdeja), or an action star like Theron and her stunt double, was used to achieve the outcome, the danger feels quite real and the action is coherently choreographed as well. It also helps that Theron is giving the film her all and Egerton is chewing up (the beautiful) scenery like it was his last performance ever. They're very good here.

Now, granted, Apex doesn't reach the highest possible altitude, but it's made, performed and engineered with enough competence to justify its existence. Keep your expectations low and you might have a jolly ol' time, too.

Smileys: Locations

Frowneys: None

Finally, a man who will you eat you out willingly.

3.0/5

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