Scott Waugh’s, “Hidden Strike” captures your attention within the first twenty minutes, drawing comparisons to the Mad Max: Fury Road due to its apocalyptic setting and exhilarating sandstorm sequence. With Jackie Chan, an action cinema icon, commandeering a bus straight into the tempest, the film exhibits the promise of an innovative action film, taking cues from recent genre gems like John Wick 4 and Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning.
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Hidden Strike deviates from standard action movies. It employs actors John Cena and Jackie Chan, who are not conventionally associated with modern action films. The film paints an interesting landscape where capitalism is the root of societal evils, causing strife among the underprivileged. This setup triggers chaos and pitches our protagonists, Cena and Chan, against each other in the expansive, desolate deserts of a dystopian China.
Regrettably, the film's intriguing momentum dissipates swiftly. Post the enthralling sandstorm showdown featuring Team Chan and Team Cena, the narrative shifts gears entirely. Cena and Chan transition from foes to allies, ushering in attempted humor that seldom lands. Despite Cena's comedy chops, as seen in James Gunn’s Suicide Squad, the script and dated comedy here let him down. Additionally, the insipid humor draws Chan's enthusiasm away. This leaves the movie to resemble an outdated action-comedy and overlooks its crucial socio-political subplot. A conventional antagonist, portrayed by Pilou Asbæk, famed for his role as Euron Greyjoy in Game Of Thrones, replaces the earlier setup.
Hidden Strike attempts to string together a plot, featuring a mammoth corporation that controls the oil industry. Amid frequent attacks by mercenaries, the company opts for safer operations within a secured, green zone. The journey is fraught with challenges, largely stemming from the oppressed populace the corporation exploits. They enlist ex-special forces officer Chan, aptly nicknamed Dragon in the film, for help.
Conversely, the mercenaries approach Cena's character, Chris, a fellow ex-special forces operative running an orphanage in the village. Led by Chris's brother Henry, they urge Chris to intervene in the corporation's operations and abduct the company's top executive. Initially reluctant, Chris agrees when a severe water shortage necessitates a substantial financial solution. Successfully executing a sandstorm heist alongside the mercenaries, Chris manages to kidnap the executive and other company employees. However, he soon uncovers the plot's mastermind, a disgruntled employee named Owen, prompting Chris to switch sides and join Dragon's team. The narrative then reduces to a predictable good versus evil scenario.
There's an underdeveloped subplot involving Dragon's strained relationship with his engineer daughter, Mei. An unfunny romantic subplot involving Chris and Mei, unbeknownst to him, the daughter of his comrade, feels outdated.
What's disappointing is the film's potential, hinted at in the gripping opening sequence, gradually dissolving into a conventional, star-powered spectacle. Scott Waugh's previous work, the underwhelming Need For Speed, suggests a limited directorial range, leading to the missed opportunity of an intense duel of wits between Cena and Chan.
While I don't inherently object to comedy in action films, Hidden Strike's execution fails to achieve the effective blend seen in recent Mission Impossible's Rome scene. Apart from the promising first twenty minutes, Hidden Strike falls into mediocrity. It even fails to deliver top-notch action scenes despite seemingly sufficient funds. It mirrors the trajectory of Sam Hargrave’s Extraction 2, which started promisingly but descended from there, despite an impressive continuous action sequence early on.
When deciding whether Hidden Strike is worth watching, it's difficult to give a ringing endorsement. There are numerous superior action films that provide far more entertainment value. Given the plethora of options, it seems unnecessary to settle for anything less than exceptional.
