Netflix’s first blockbuster from 2025 is now streaming – and this action comedy is a pleasant surprise

On January 18, 2025By Littum

Netflix’s first big movie of 2025 comes out this week in the form of “Back in Action.” This action-comedy from director Seth Gordon (the man behind “Horrible Bosses” and the awful “Baywatch” reboot) stars Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx as a pair of retired CIA agents who are drawn back into the world of espionage when their secret identity is revealed.

This movie seems to have all the ingredients to be a surefire Netflix No. 1 hit, but to be brutally honest my first gut feeling was that it would be bad. Maybe I was overly cynical, or maybe my poor film recognition senses aren’t as sharp as I thought, because after watching “Back in Action” for myself this week, I was pleasantly surprised. It’s no masterpiece, and its reliance on genre tropes is evident, but it’s charming and entertaining.

It’s certainly not an original Netflix movie that I’d ever consider an essential watch, and I expect some (slightly harsher) critics to rip apart its many plot conveniences and corny jokes, but if you go into the movie looking for simple popcorn entertainment, I think you’ll get exactly what you want.

Here’s everything you need to know about “Back in Action” to help you decide if it’s a Netflix movie worth adding to your watchlist.

What is ‘Back in Action’ all about?

Back in Action | Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz | Official Teaser | Netflix – YouTube

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Emily (Cameron Diaz) and Matt (Jamie Foxx) are two of the CIA’s best agents and are engaged in a romantic affair that turns serious when the former reveals she is pregnant. But the life of a super spy is not so compatible with little people. So when the two get the chance to get out of the secret agent game, they decide to become suburban parents.

Flash forward several years, and Emily and Matt are content raising their two teenage children (McKenna Roberts and Rylan Jackson) baking sourdough bread and coaching soccer practice. But when the past catches up with them, the pair are drawn back into the high-octane world of espionage.

With their secret identities no longer a secret, Emily and Matt travel to London, England with their children in tow to meet with Emily’s mother (Glenn Close) and find a way to protect their family. Naturally, they are also drawn into a spy adventure and must thwart a sinister villain along the way. Oh, and Andrew Scott also shows up as a British intelligence agent in love with Emily.

‘Back in Action’ has its charm

(L-R) Cameron Diaz as Emily and Jamie Foxx as Matt in

(Image credit: John Wilson/Netflix)

“Back in Action” is Cameron Diaz’s first feature film since 2014, and the actress slides back into the action-comedy genre with effortless ease. In fairness, that could be because she’s practically made this film before in the form of 2010’s “Knight and Day,” which feels so tonally similar that the two films could exist in the same cinematic universe.

Diaz pairs well with Foxx and the two have a chemistry that makes them very believable as a married couple. Foxx is also lucky to receive the lion’s share of the film’s best lines, with a few of his antics catching me in the best possible way. Scott comes the closest to matching Foxx’s comedic chops, and he gets a few witty dry remarks himself.

(L-R) Andrew Scott as Baron in

(Image credit: John Wilson/Netflix)

The rest of the supporting cast is solid enough with Glenn Close playing Diaz’s distant British mother who is also a secret agent. The endless jokes about Close’s preference for tea and her stiff upper lip grid, because the stereotype has already been mined for comedy for decades. Her protegee/lover Nigel (Jamie Demetriou) adds some slapstick to the mix, and while I found him a bit unnecessary, younger viewers will enjoy his bumbling nature.

“Back in Action” lacks the globe-trotting aspect of some of its contemporaries – when the cast goes over to England, that’s where they stay for the rest of the film – but the plot unfolds at a decent clip, with new revelations and added stakes thrown into the mix often enough to keep you engaged. However, the final destination is clearly telegraphed from pretty much the start.

You’ve seen this one before

(L-R) Glenn Close as Ginny in

(Image credit: John Wilson/Netflix)

“Back in Action’s” biggest problem is the inescapable sense of familiarity that permeates the entire blockbuster film. There’s just no doubt that it doesn’t bring anything new to the table. The character arcs and plot beats are so predictable that I had the ending mapped out before the first act was even finished, and the mid-film twist is so obvious it’s almost laughable.

The action sequences are also pretty pedestrian. There’s a high-speed boat race that lacks energy or sense of speed, and in an effort to keep things light (and presumably family-friendly), Emily, Matt and their kids never feel like they’re in any real danger. Only an inventive brawl at Tate Modern that sees luminous glowsticks used as batons stand out and get the adrenaline flowing. However, a plane crash scene in the first act is also strong.

Should you stream ‘Back in Action’ on Netflix

(L-R) Jamie Foxx as Matt and Cameron Diaz as Emily in

(Image credit: John Wilson/Netflix)

“Back in Action” is not a great movie. Heck, it’s not even very good. It’s the definition of middle-of-the-road entertainment, but it’s clear that its ambitions don’t extend beyond such a modest goal, and if you’re looking for a big-budget Netflix movie to watch with the whole family, “Back in Action” is a long way from the streamer’s worst offer.

Yes, the above is not a ringing endorsement, but when you consider some of the blockbuster games that Netflix threw onto its platform in the last 12 months (such as “Uglies”, “Atlas”, “The Union” and more) , “ Back in Action” looks pretty good by comparison. The chemistry between Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx mostly saves the day, though the story is predictable and the action sequences are mostly uninspired with a few exceptions.

If you keep your expectations in check, it’s entirely possible to watch “Back in Action” and have enough fun to not feel like you’ve completely wasted two hours. Am I setting the bar too low? Maybe, but the biggest praise I can give is that the ending scene teases a sequel, and if that were to happen, I’d watch “Back in Action 2.” I can’t say the same for a follow-up to any of the terrible Netflix original movies listed above. So at least it’s an improvement.

If you demand more quality from your movies than “Back in Action” offers, here is a list of all the new Netflix movies in January 2025 with at least 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. And for even more options, check out our roundup of everything new added to Netflix this month, including movies and TV shows.

Clock “Back in Action” on Netflix now