‘Apex’ Review: Charlize Theron Netflix Thriller Avoids Rock Bottom, but Barely

Apex, a new survival thriller from director Baltasar Kormákur, debuts on Netflix Friday. The film stars Charlize Theron as Sasha, a grief-stricken woman who, after a rather predictable accident on a mountain, travels to Australia to find closure. Once there, she finds herself involved in a grueling cat-and-mouse game as she’s hunted by a ruthless local named Ben (played by Taron Egerton).  

There’s a lot the movie could’ve explored during its roughly 90-minute running time, particularly around loss and letting go. Alas, it’s all surface, no depth. It’s a bummer — but at least that surface looks cool.

Let’s back up a minute and discuss the movie’s opening moments. We’re quickly introduced to Sasha, who wakes up in a tent tied to the side of a mountain. This is normal life for her and her husband, Tommy (played by Eric Bana), and it’s understood that the couple does a lot of rock climbing. But Sasha comes to a rock side she just can’t climb over, and, in frustration, they stay on the side of the mountain a bit too long. 

All the while, a snowstorm closes in.

Perhaps I watch too many disaster movies, but the story panned out in a predictable manner from there. Due to a rockslide and bad weather conditions, Tommy gets knocked unconscious (or killed immediately) and Sasha must either let go of his rope or die with him. 

And that’s a wrap for Eric Bana.

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This opening sequence took place over mere minutes, which, in my opinion, was nowhere near enough time to establish the emotional connection between the two characters that would then inspire her to take a trip alone to the wild backlands of Australia. But we all process grief differently, I guess.

Needless to say, once there, Sasha finds herself in a situation that she wasn’t prepared for. Red flags abound in the form of the cluttered wall of missing persons posters in the local police station and a group of questionable men she soon meets while on her journey to go camping in the unfamiliar terrain.

And this is where Egerton’s seemingly harmless Ben enters the picture. Soon, Apex transforms into something of a horror film, and Ben (along with his trusty crossbow) hunts the American deeper into the woods, because that’s what he does to pass the time.

This is all you really need to know about the story. I’m leaving out some heavy spoilers so you can discover the direction the film takes from there. 

It brings me no joy to write a negative review. First off, I am fully aware of how challenging it is to make a movie. Not to mention, Apex was shot entirely on location; Theron and Egerton really ran through the Australian woods and battled in all sorts of terrain, from the side of a mountain to white water rapids. 

Theron did many of her own stunts and trained to believably portray a rock climber, and she definitely delivered on that front. That focus on realism in the field results in a slew of jaw-dropping visuals that beg to be seen on the big screen. But alas, Apex is a streaming release.

Still, this is all commendable, considering how many Netflix titles are produced entirely on sound stages in front of a blue screen, with digital effects added later to build out the story world. But I can’t help feeling that the focus on tactile detail here came at the expense of the emotional depth a story like this needs.

Apex leans heavily on the acting talents of its leads, and Theron and Egerton deliver the goods, no question. Without their strengths opposite each other, I don’t think Apex would be worth the time at all. This may be Theron’s movie, but Egerton steals the show. More on him in a second.

When you take a look at Theron’s IMDb page, it’s clear her acting career has been populated with varied roles. She can hold her own in an indie comedy, an arthouse drama, a Marvel blockbuster and even Arrested Development. She brings a haunted stillness to Sasha, which informs the character’s power without spoon-feeding the audience. 

All she needs to do is stand and stare at Egerton and her silence speaks volumes. Without much dialogue, she easily steps into the root-worthy entry point for the viewer to connect with.

Egerton, meanwhile, goes all-in on Ben’s atrociousness. He’s a backwoods Hannibal Lecter, complete with his own unique jerky recipe. It should be mentioned that Egerton is British, doing a semi-believable Australian accent, which is not an easy feat. There’s a grab bag of other terrifying quirks that make Ben frightening, on the same level, at times, as Norman Bates. You can tell Egerton is having a blast playing this character. I had a blast watching him.

Performances can only take things so far, though. Outside of the chemistry between Theron and Egerton, the striking visuals and strong camera work, Apex is pretty hollow. That’s a sad thing to type, considering the notion that this is a story about loss, grief and survival. 

I’m not going to say Apex isn’t worth your time. If you want some empty-calorie terror to get you through the weekend, you can find it here. Just don’t expect much more than that.