Netflix: Outside the Wire (Review)

PLOT: In 2036, a drone pilot is assigned to work with an officer who also happens to be an android. The two attempt to stop an evil figure who may be plotting a nuclear attack on the United States.

REVIEW: In the not so distant future, the world may not seem all that different than what we'd witnessed in the Terminator films. Well, that's according to the new Netflix science fiction action flick Outside the Wire. Directed by Mikael Håfström (1408, Escape Plan), the film stars Anthony Mackie as a modern weaponized android officer and Damson Idris as a drone pilot assigned to work with him. The new feature offers elements of classics like Robocop and The Terminator franchise, especially with the look of the "Gumps" – robotic soldiers who add a bit of destruction and mayhem to this shoot 'em up flick. With all the madness, explosions and f-bombs, is this modern action tale a success, or is it all just one big confusing mess?

The year is 2036, and a massive civil war has taken over Eastern Europe. American troops – along with the "Gumps" – are sent to help out as peacekeepers. One such soldier is Lieutenant Thomas Harp (Idris), a drone pilot. While on a dangerous mission, Harp must make a quick decision to strike, one that leads to the death of two soldiers. While it did save lives, Harp is held accountable and reassigned to work with Leo (Mackie), an android officer with a bad reputation. The two are on a mission to locate Victor Koval (Pilou Asbæk), a mysterious man who remains a key figure involved in the theft of nuclear codes. Will they succeed in finding this dangerous war criminal?

Netflix has certainly had its share of successes with the sci-fi/action genre. While the movies may not always receive critical praise, audiences tend to enjoy a bit of mindless blow 'em up popcorn entertainment. And yes, Outside the Wire fits perfectly into that category. The visual effects are effective, and Mackie is perfectly capable of headlining a feature such as this. But other than that, Outside the Wire is too long; it's structurally a mess and doesn't quite find its bearings. At least not until the final act when we get to its over-the-top finale. It may be obvious which direction the characters go in, but they go all out for the film's climactic end. Unfortunately, it takes far too long to get to the point and muddies the waters with an unsuccessful message about the horrors of war.

Anthony Mackie is quite good, as is his co-star Damson Idris. However, their characters didn't immediately work together. We've seen it many times before, two unlikely partners that must learn to work alongside each other. Pilou Asbæk shows up to play a solid baddie, but don't expect to see much of him. While his character is referenced often throughout the film, his screentime is shockingly minimal. Another bright spot is Emily Beecham as Sofiya. She portrays a powerful woman with a few secrets of her own. The cast is well-suited to the material, but there's still something missing. As good as the performances are, the characters fail to compel you to care about their fate. Not necessarily a good thing in a flick such as this.

One thing that you can say is the script by Rowan Athale and Rob Yescombe is slightly ambitious. Aside from dealing with a futuristic civil war, red herrings, and nuclear war, it attempts to work as a buddy cop flick as well. While trying to do so much, the filmmakers' ambition is lost in a messy and predictable story. While the final sequence offers a couple of surprises, there are a few scenes that blatantly attempt to explain everything you've seen before, and it doesn't work. While the story is a bit convoluted, they go out of their way to explain what's happening instead of letting the audience figure it out. Had they put a little more faith in the viewers' ability to comprehend what's going on, it would have perhaps been more effective.

Netflix' Outside the Wire is fine for a dumb, fun couple of hours with an action flick. Anthony Mackie is always reliable in roles like this. Damson Idris is also a solid leading man, and he gives audiences enough of a character to root for. Yet the messy story doesn't help, nor does the less than original visual aesthetics on display. While the action sequences are enjoyable while you're watching, it doesn't stick with you after the film ends. Aside from the finale, it's difficult to remember much of what came before. However, if you just want a mindless sci-fi flick with heavy doses of gunfire and explosions with a healthy heaping of the word "f*ck," it's available to stream on Netflix for a decent time waster. Just don't expect it to do much more than that.