Call me a psychic, but I could sense “Apex” grabbing the No. 1 spot on Netflix ever since it was first announced. As a survival thriller starring Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton (and a heavily marketed original on the streaming service), it always felt inevitable that it would take the crown over the weekend. However, I’m pleased to report that it’s worthy of such attention, because Netflix’s newest movie is a seriously intense ride.
“Apex” follows a grieving woman, Sasha (Theron), on a solo trek through the Australian wilderness, but her journey turns deadly when she’s pursued by a brutal hunter, pushing her into a relentless battle to stay alive in a harsh environment. It’s a fairly standard survival thriller premise that doesn’t stray too far from the genre’s tropes, but what it does offer is one of Taron Egerton’s best-ever performances. And that’s a statement I can say with confidence because it might take me a while to look at him normally again.
There’s a lot to like about “Apex” when it leans into its strengths, and some elements that keep this movie from reaching its full potential. Now that “Apex” is streaming on Netflix and has claimed the No. 1 spot, here’s everything to know about the survival thriller before adding it to your weekend watchlist.
‘Apex’ is a seriously intense ride that barely gives you a breather
Survival thrillers have one job: creating constant tension while focusing on endurance and problem-solving. “Apex” very much delivers on both fronts, opening with a stomach-churning abseil up a snowy mountain, with Sasha and her husband Tommy (Eric Bana) determined to reach the top. There’s already a growing sense of dread from the sheer height alone, and I wish I had the magic power to pop my head into the screen and ask these characters what the hell they were doing. Director Baltasar Kormákur, known for films like “Everest” and “Beast,” knows exactly how to make you squirm.
But that’s just the start, because “Apex” only gets more relentless. Sasha, now grieving and in need of solitude, travels into the Australian wilderness in hopes of a change of scenery. But instead, she experiences the worst of human nature, first in the form of a group of men harassing her and trying to scare her because she’s alone, and then in the form of a seemingly kind man, Ben (Egerton), who ultimately makes it his mission to hunt her down. It’s incredibly uncomfortable, and as a woman, it hits a particularly unsettling nerve.
“Apex” turns into a non-stop struggle for survival as Sasha not only has to escape this ruthless man but also battle the harsh elements of the wilderness, including dangerous rivers and claustrophobic rock formations. It nails the survival thriller format, with Charlize Theron delivering a performance that is both determined and vulnerable. For the majority of the runtime, I was holding my breath, and there’s a scene at the end of the second act that is especially harrowing and nauseating, along with a mini twist you might not see coming.
This film is definitely a welcome entry in the genre, but like many Netflix originals, the story itself and the handling of backstories aren’t its greatest strengths. The same goes for an ending that arrives too quickly, leaving little satisfaction as it rushes to wrap things up. “Apex” might be forgotten once its popularity fades or another big release takes over, but as a survival thriller, it succeeds in being intense and brutal.
Come for the thrills, stay for Taron Egerton
I have to take a moment to talk about Taron Egerton’s performance alone, because he takes this from a decent movie to a thrilling one. Going from a friendly local who helps Sasha when a group of men pester her to being the very thing she’s afraid of is a challenging task in just a 90-minute movie. But Egerton is incredibly talented in his own right, planting seeds of doubt during a simple conversation as he gets to know Sasha and offers her food and extra gear, until something in him clicks when he talks about hunting as a special kind of ritual.
The added touches of him making animal noises as he chases her, getting himself pumped up for the hunt by playing a song out loud, and even giving Ben this weird childlike behavior as he treats it all like a game really elevates the performance. It’s safe to say that “Apex” is one of Taron Egerton’s best performances to date, so much so that I need him to play a normal character next just to reset my brain. Otherwise, I think his unnerving smile will haunt my dreams for weeks. Give this man another award.
Stream "Apex" on Netflix
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