6 Underground

6 Underground

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Melanie Laurent, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ben Hardy

Directed by Michael Bay

A film about six people who come together to take on a tyrannical dictator, who aren't related by blood but refer to one another as family, and who drive through the streets of Italy in fashionable sports cars at high speeds while defying all laws of physics and also centers on beautiful women and lots of gunfights.  However, you notice early on that there's no Vin Diesel or Dwayne Johnson, and think to yourself...this is an odd "Fast and Furious" movie!  Then you realize it's not - it's an entirely different entity, featuring different actors, a different story, and a different director, although you can obviously guess who is behind the chair during the opening moments as many things go "boom."

After Netflix put out Oscar-worthy films like "Marriage Story" and "The Irishman," I suppose it was time for the total opposite: an action extravaganza that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, doesn't want to, and allows you to turn your mind off and just enjoy the carnage on screen.  That's what Michael Bay offers in his surprising addition to the streaming service, "6 Underground," and while it seems I'm making fun of it, I really enjoyed it because I was just able to relax and spectate the utter ridiculousness of it all.

The film follows seven highly trained operatives who've left their lives behind and are now referred to as numbers: One (Ryan Reynolds) is the leader, and also a billionaire playboy philanthropist (wait, sounds familiar) who excels at inventing new tech (also sounds familiar).  Two (Melanie Laurent) is a former CIA agent who uses her allure and ninja skills to dispatch enemies easily.  Three (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) is a professional hitman with a heart of gold.  Four (Ben Hardy) is a millennial parkour enthusiast.  Five (Adria Arjona) is a former doctor whose background we don't get any information about.  Six (Dave Franco) is the getaway driver, and Seven (Corey Hawkins) is a former military man who's an expert sniper.  Together they hatch a plan to stage a coup in the fictional country of Turgistan by disposing of its dictator Rovach (Lior Raz) and instating his democracy-loving brother Murat (Peyman Maadi) - but in order to do that they'll have to embark on a worldwide journey and kill a lot of bad guys.

The performances are basic in the way they're delivered, which again is one of Bay's signatures - he doesn't really flush out any particular character, but gives each of them (mostly) certain moments to shine, with the obvious exception being the film's leading man in Ryan Reynolds, whose effortless charm and charisma continues to excite and fascinate audiences.   


There's not a whole lot to say in regards to the storyline, since it's very simplistic - kill bad guys, and do it in huge ways.  Bay is best known for his special effects action spectacles, and even though he moved from the big screen to the small, he spares no expense in offering off-the-wall action basically from start to finish, which makes the slightly-over-two-hour film feel very fluid and quick.  There's not a dull moment, and it's a pulse pounding popcorn spectacle, even if the theme hits a bit too close to home for many.  Even though they're trying to overthrow the fictional dictator of a fictional country, the things he does seems eerily reminiscent of things real dictators have done in real countries, including unleashing toxic gas on a refugee hospital, which makes the tone of the film strange as it's supposed to be a typical action-comedy, but there's several moments that's not very comical, and makes you feel uncomfortable.

When it comes to the effects, again this is Bay's wheelhouse, as you see cars exploding, entire boats getting blown up, an all-out war in a high-rise, and everything in between.  This sure as heck isn't a Scorsese film, and never tries to be - it's, again, just mindless entertainment to watch between two thought-provoking masterpieces.

Surprising the world by releasing a film to Netflix, Michael Bay's "6 Underground" has all the hallmarks of a hot summer action blockbuster, right in the comfort of your own home, and exhibits everything he's best known for - especially lots of explosions.

The Score: A