Warning: Major spoilers for Back in Action below!Back in Action’s cast elevates the latest Netflix action comedy – and uses the audience’s knowledge of their previous roles against them. Back in Action marks Cameron Diaz’s return to acting after a decade-long hiatus, with the movie leaning heavily on the comic chemistry between her and co-star Jamie Foxx. Reviews for Back in Action have been mixed overall, with critics giving the ensemble positive notices but finding the film itself generic and uninspired.

It certainly pulls a lot from other spy movies and TV shows, from Mr & Mrs Smith to Diaz’s own action comedy Knight and Day. At least compared to Netflix’s other recent spy comedy The Union, Back in Action at least has some genuine laughs and well-staged setpieces. The plot itself is nothing new, though the filmmakers wisely subvert expectations by casting name actors in roles that go against their typecasting.

Back In Action Knows Audiences Expect Andrew Scott To Be A Villain

From Sherlock to Ripley, Andrew Scott isn’t known for playing good guys

Back in Action casts Andrew Scott as Baron, an MI6 operative who once went out with Emily (Cameron Diaz) and is clearly still in love with her. Emily and Matt (Jamie Foxx) later suspect Baron is the one chasing after them and trying to recover the ICS key. Of course, audiences will suspect Scott based on his past roles. The Irish star first sH๏τ to fame as Moriarty on BBC’s Sherlock, and followed up with more villainous parts like C in the James Bond outing, Spectre.

Back in Action itself casts doubt on Baron’s intentions as he chases after Matt and Emily, with his colleague Wendy (Fola Evans-Akingbola) suspicious of how he’s handling the case. The big reveal that Baron is the bad guy feels inevitable – but it never arrives. Scott’s Baron is completely on the level, outside a somewhat creepy fixation on Emily. Still, he has no connection to the mercenaries seeking the ICS key.

Back in Action isn’t particularly creative, but Scott’s casting against type was a smart move on the filmmaker’s part. The actor has played plenty of good guy roles, but audiences are almost predisposed to view him as a villain in disguise – especially as he recently played Ripley on the Netflix series of the same name. Sadly, that means Scott doesn’t get much to do in the film, other than issue orders and look stern.

Back In Action Also Flips Kyle Chandler’s Most Beloved Role

Coach Taylor can’t be a bad guy, right?

Back in Action also features what initially appears to be a cameo from Kyle Chandler as Emily and Matt’s boss. He’s walking them through the opening mission before they decide to disappear and go lead normal lives. Chandler’s Chuck then suddenly turns up at their home 15 years later, warning them their lives are in danger – before getting killed by a sniper. This turns out to be an elaborate ruse, as Chander’s Chuck faked his demise and is the villain behind the scenes, having manipulated the couple into leading him to the key.

Chandler is best known as Coach Taylor on Friday Night Lights, who is one of the great TV dads of the 21st Century. Chandler is such an innately warm screen presence that audiences tend to trust him sight unseen, which makes his surprise heel turn all the more effective in the third act. Again, Back in Action isn’t breaking any new ground in the spy genre, but it is nice to see the people behind the camera put some thought into wrong footing viewers with its casting choices.

Back In Action’s Cast Is The Best Thing About The Movie

Back in Action is proof a great ensemble can elevate lukewarm material

In all likelihood, Back in Action will prove a big hit for Netflix, and will then quickly fade from memory like The Union or Red Notice. It’s not that the movie is bad; Back in Action is energetic and features some solid gags, but it’s almost designed to be something people watch while scrolling through their phones. One strength it features is the cast; Foxx and Diaz bat quips back and forth with gusto, while Glenn Close devours every scene as Emily’s estranged mother Ginny.

Scott and Chandler don’t get much to work with, though the latter gives such a convincing villain’s speech that he might just convince audiences his character is right. If any one actor steals the show, it would be Jamie Demetriou as Ginny’s lover/trainee Nigel, a dweeby, socially awkward wannabe spy. Demetriou enters the story late but is genuinely hilarious, and will no doubt get more work off the back of it. If there is a single reason to see Back in Action, it’s to watch a great cast do their thing with a familiar story.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes