Prime Video‘s newest action offering has fans and critics arguing over the quality of the film. And it’s no small fight, either. Critics have rated the movie, which stars Kerry Washington, Omar Sy, and Mark Strong, a dismal 30%, while audiences have rated it a much more impressive 82%, leaving a whopping 52% difference between the two. But it looks like the audience is right this go round; the movie has made its way onto the Top 10 Most Watched list, snagging the #4 spot.
Shadow Force, Prime’s newest action thriller, centers on a woman named Kyrah (Washington) and a man named Isaac (Sy), who were once the leaders of a multinational special-forces group known as Shadow Force. But the two broke an unspoken rule: they fell in love. In an attempt to protect their son, Kyrah and Isaac have gone dark, doing everything they can to disappear. Now, though, the Shadow Force is after them—a prospect made all the more dangerous by the large bounty placed on their heads—and for the couple, this means war.
It’s a Fun, Tropey Action Thriller
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Critics say Shadow Force is painfully tropey, relying solely on middle-of-the-road action sequences to push it forward and doing little with the movie’s inherent emotional stakes. Critic Nicholas Bell rates the film 2 out of 5 stars and says, “A generic script and questionable casting hobbles Carnahan’s mishandling of a love story moonlighting as an action throwback, and if it weren’t for a suave Omar Sy, this would feel like a chip off the old Blaxploitation block.” And while takes like this aren’t without merit, it seems that critics are missing what’s made this movie so popular with general audiences—that while a little predictable, it was full of the tropes that have kept the action genre alive for decades; they’re considered tried and true for a reason, and they work.
“The family that slays together, stays together. Action-packed scenes filled with an endearing love story. Kerry Washington can do it all. Loved seeing Omar Sy in this film. Hoping this becomes a series,” noted one viewer, highlighting the elements that helped elevate Shadow Force into the #4 spot on Prime Video. And at a time when chemistry between actors seems to be in short supply these days, it’s high praise for the performance between Washington and Sy as they make the romance at the center of the action not only believable, but one worth rooting for throughout the high-stakes narrative.
Do you have a favorite moment from Shadow Force? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. And don’t forget to head over to the ComicBook forum to see what other action fans are saying.
