Back in Action (2025) is directed by Seth Gordon and stars Cameron Diaz, Jamie Foxx, Kyle Chandler, Glenn Close, Andrew Scott, McKenna Roberts, Rylan Jackson, Jamie Demetriou, Fola Evans-Akingbola, Robert Besta, Jude Mack, and Tom Brittney. The film follows Emily (Diaz) and Matt (Foxx), two CIA agents who fake their deaths to start a family and live the rest of their lives in obscurity. Years later, after their cover is blown due to a viral incident involving their teenage daughter (Roberts), the couple finds themselves pursued by old enemies seeking a powerful cyber weapon thought to be destroyed. When they discover the CIA is likewise pursuing them, the family sets out on a cross-continental journey to clear their names.

After an 11-year hiatus, Diaz’s return to the screen is mostly a success in terms of proving she’s still a capable lead. It’s nothing close to an Oscar-worthy performance (this simply isn’t that kind of film), but she’s uncommonly charismatic and provides the perfect level of zany energy this movie requires. This feels like a safe yet smart choice as her comeback film because it doesn’t stray too far from the kind of tone that has always fit her general vibe. Although the movie itself may be forgotten, Diaz is sure to earn some big roles in the coming years. 

Foxx provides his typical action-comedy schtick, but the performance/character ultimately works because of his chemistry with Diaz. The film is a very similar experience to Netflix’s The Union (2024), another big-budget romantic action-comedy featuring two bankable stars, but the chemistry between the two leads is noticeably superior. Unlike similar films, the script doesn’t waste its time making these characters fall in love. Instead, they’re together from the beginning and rarely butt heads. This allows the central focus to be on their relationship with their kids – something that’s just a tad more original than the alternative. 

 McKenna Roberts turns in a strong performance as the couple’s rebellious teenage daughter, so it’s unfortunate that the character is written to be the most annoying version of the archetype. She constantly puts the family’s lives at risk simply because she wants to rebel – behavior that doesn’t make her particularly likable. Thankfully, the character works despite this constant immaturity because the script provides her with a clear arc. On top of this, there’s always a clear motivation for her behavior (no matter how immature it may be). The character makes sense and her importance is clear, but what’s the point of making her an unlikable presence throughout? You can give characters arcs, but make them compelling/interesting/likable at the same time. A character’s flaws should make them compelling, not unlikeable. If not, it’s tough to root for their inevitable improvement. 

As for Rylan Jackson, I was impressed by his comedic timing. As the family’s youngest most cowardly presence, he succeeds in providing some of the movie’s few big laughs. The nature of the film’s action/logic is often so cartoonishly over-the-top that it begs for at least one character to point out the absurdity. Jackson provides this self-awareness and it ultimately helps to justify the film’s lack of realism.

As for the supporting cast, it’s always fun to see Kyle Chandler and Andrew Scott in these kinds of nard-nosed cop roles. That being said, the script never feels particularly interested in fleshing out their characters. Scott’s character is mostly relegated to being the butt of a running joke that never quite lands and Chandler mostly just goes through the motions as the most cliche example of a classic American “golden boy.” They’re not memorable but are well-cast and more than capable of skillfully delivering the material (even if it’s not great).

Although every moment of this movie is wonderfully fast-paced, it’s often of tonal mess. It falls into the trap that so many other 4-quadrant blockbusters do and tries to appeal to everyone – something that more often than not results in the film appealing fully to no one. It’s not funny enough to fully satisfy as a comedy, not serious enough to work as an action-thriller, and not intelligent/observant enough to work as a domestic drama. Honestly, it just feels like a Marvel movie – something that easily kills two hours but holds little rewatch value and can be forgotten in a week’s time. 

The action, even though it often stretches credulity a bit too far, is surprisingly well-shot and creatively conceived. For example, there’s one sequence that involves our heroes defeating their pursuers with the old “mentos mixed with cola” trick. Yeah, it’s silly, but it fits perfectly with the established tone and therefore allows the viewer to be in on the joke. The comedy throughout isn’t ever laugh-out-loud funny, but it does achieve a consistent level of grin-worthy fun. 

Overall, this is a decently well-made action-comedy, but at the end of the day is a mostly forgettable experience. None of the cast is particularly bad, but besides Diaz’s return to the screen, there’s no one worth mentioning. Most people can skip this one, but I do think it works work as a serviceable January streaming option for families. It’s dumb, but it’s energetic and at least makes attempts to distinguish itself from similar films. It fails more often than it succeeds, but at least it flies by. C+