Apex: Charlize Theron Fights for Survival in the Australian Wilderness

Some process grief with therapy, some with time, some numb the pain with alcohol. Sasha does none of this, but needs adrenaline to forget what she experienced firsthand. Tommy, her longtime partner, lost his life during a climb on Norway's Troll Wall, an excursion she strongly desired, and she is now consumed by guilt.

The protagonist of Apex thus decides to go to Australia to honor her beloved's memory, while embarking on a new adventure that will see her canoe the rapids of the Kedumba River, in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. However, the solitude sought among immense canyons and lush forests lasts very little: Ben, an individual with a psychopathic nature, begins to hunt her in what quickly turns into a desperate cat-and-mouse game.

In the Belly of the Earth

There's an almost always obvious fact in films that carry the label of survival movie: if two characters climb a rock face together in the first few minutes, one of them is almost certainly destined to kick the bucket shortly thereafter. Apex is no exception and starts right there, with guest star Eric Bana plummeting into the void during the hasty initial descent, leaving Charlize Theron indeed heartbroken but ready, six months later, to get back on her feet in the only way possible for her.

Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur once again demonstrates his ease on familiar ground, as highlighted by the opening sequence, shot with dizzying POVs by cinematographer Lawrence Sher and not far, in terms of suggestions, from the dramatic Everest (2015), where the protagonists battled extreme weather conditions. Kormákur is, after all, a specialist in telling stories of men grappling with impossible situations, as he has amply demonstrated throughout his diverse career.

Charlize Theron, also a producer here, confirms a choice consistent with her path: the South African star has indeed shown in recent years – from Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) onwards – a total propensity for roles that challenge her physique. She is once again at the center of non-stop action sequences, set in the Australian wilderness, the stage for most of the daring events. Events that seem a mix between the atmospheres of Deliverance (1972) and The River Wild (1994), with a female empowerment imprint typical of the post-#MeToo era and a playful soul born from the Netflix ecosystem.

What Works and What Doesn't

A not always balanced hybrid, whose biggest flaw lies in a plot that borders on the absurd on multiple occasions, despite starting from a relatively simple premise pushed to the extreme, with all the consequences. A no-holds-barred hunt that recalls, in methodology – the crossbow as an offensive weapon – the dynamics underlying Hard Target (1993), John Woo's underrated Hollywood debut with Van Damme.

The insane villain is entrusted to Taron Egerton, who proves to be the most genuine surprise of the entire operation. Ben initially appears as a cordial and affable type, but when he drops the mask, he gives way to a sadistic and cruel antagonist, whose true crimes emerge in the crucial phase of the story.

The sequences in the heart of the wilderness are made with that solid competence that represents the director's trademark, but Apex offers no truly memorable gimmick nor a key moment capable of leaving a mark. Of course, the weight of the falls and the harshness of this pristine flora are well conveyed by a direction that tracks and hounds the characters, and the hour and a half of viewing has the merit of flowing quickly and painlessly, at least for the audience. However, those looking for something new will probably be disappointed, even if this was perhaps not the operation to turn to in the first place.