Apex review: Charlize Theron’s Netflix thriller teeters above disaster

Apex review: Performance vs Plot

In the Apex review we find Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton delivering the only sparks in an otherwise bleak Australian survival thriller. Their chemistry lifts a script that stumbles over pacing and undercooked tension. Netflix’s gamble to pair a Hollywood star with a remote outback setting feels like a mis‑step, yet Theron’s steely resolve keeps the audience from plunging into total collapse. The film’s visual palette captures the sun‑bleached wasteland, but narrative breadcrumbs lead nowhere.

“The movie almost crashes, but the leads keep it afloat,” noted a critic at Reuters.

While the climax attempts a high‑octane chase, it lands with a ↓ 2/5 rating from most aggregators. Viewers seeking pure adrenaline may forgive the flaws, but those craving depth will feel short‑changed. Even the nuclear intel subplot feels tacked on, offering no real payoff.

Overall, the thriller skirts the abyss; it doesn’t fall, but it barely stays afloat.

Dispatch from: Aria Montgomery

Media & Entertainment Correspondent