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Apex Netflix Movie Review
If you’re looking for a straight-up, no-nonsense Apex Netflix movie review, you’re in the right place. With two A-List actors leading the line and a survival thriller set in the harsh Australian outback, Apex had all the ingredients to be something big. But does it actually deliver, or is it a Netflix film that looks great on paper but misses the mark? Here’s my honest take.
Movie Overview
- Title: Apex
- Genre: Adrenaline Thriller
- Release Year: 2026
- Director: Baltasar Kormákur
- Main Cast: Charlize Therone & Taron Egerton
- Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes
Apex Plot Summary (No Spoilers)
In Apex, Charlize Theron plays Sasha, a thrill-seeker and expert rock climber navigating deep personal grief. Following a tragic accident during a mountaineering expedition in the Netherlands, she heads to the Australian outback in search of danger, anything to feel alive and give her a sense of purpose again.
While tackling white-water rapids and scaling breathtaking cliffs, Sasha encounters a mysterious man (Taron Egerton) who instantly gives off bad vibes. Her instincts prove right when he reveals himself to be a hunter, but not of animals. He’s hunting something far more dangerous: her.
What follows is a brutal game of survival, as Sasha is forced to use every ounce of her skill and instinct to outmanoeuvre a predator who is as savage as he is calculated.
Watch the Trailer for Apex
First Impressions
Apex feels familiar from the outset. It follows a well-worn formula; trauma, isolation, and a journey of self-discovery under extreme circumstances. The early stages are predictable, but once the Sasha vs Ben dynamic kicks in, the pace picks up.
The survival sequences do deliver tension. You’ll find yourself thinking, “How are they still going?” It leans fully into that cat-and-mouse energy, and at times, it works.
Performances
We, as the viewers, are rewarded with true professional actors, both known for truly embodying their characters. Both leads bring serious credibility to Apex. Although, I feel like more could have been done to give Theron’s character Sasha more of a build-up by making her more vulnerable instead of standoffish, I would have liked to have seen her rebuild her confidence, as it would have allowed viewers to become more emotionally attached to her.
I will say that Theron delivers a performance that is believable, making us understand her will to survive and eventually realise she is emotionally and physically a survivor.
There is no doubt that Egerton delivers an unhinged stalker/serial killer, showing that he is capable of playing both a hero, as he has in past movies, and now also a villain. The Welsh native delivers a strong Australian accent.
What I will say is the script and the director seemed to have taken too much inspiration from other similar movie villains, like Wolf Creek’s Mick Taylor as the Australian hunter/predator serial killer, Split’s beast-like characteristics with his animalistic apex predator traits, and Hannibal Lecter’s cannibalism, including the Red Dragon “Tooth Fairy” angle when it comes to Ben’s teeth. I would have liked to have seen Egerton given the chance to put his own spin on a completely new type of serial killer.
Direction & Cinematography
As a Director Komakur is known for creating survival movies such as Everst and the Beast , so when it comes to making those thrill seeker scenes he knows what works and leaves the viewer wondering how is that character still going after certain incidents.
As for the cinematography, there are some adrenaline fuelled moments, and the Australian outback is right there, and while it looks good in moments, nothing really sticks. For a film like Apex, you want scenes that stay with you. Instead, a lot of it feels a bit forgettable once it’s over.
What Actually Works
The biggest strength of Apex is the dynamic between Theron and Egerton. They have on screen presence and chemistry with each other so when it comes to them building up that cat and mouse, predtor and prey onscreen tension with each other you understand that this a battle for survival .
What Lets Apex Down
The first two acts are too predictable, and the film doesn’t spend enough time properly building its characters. Ben’s backstory, in particular, feels rushed it hints and we get snippets. It’s mostly told through dialogue when it could’ve been shown through flashbacks, which would’ve made his character far more unsettling and layered.
Same goes for Sasha. The film hints at emotional depth but never fully commits. We know from the opening scene she’s grieving, but we don’t really feel it in a way that hits the viewer to feel for her. And with an actress like Theron, that feels like a missed opportunity. With an Theron we know that Sasha was never going to be a damsel in distress. As an actress, she is a full-on female action star. The script didn’t challenge her enough. I don’t feel the director allowed her to fully express that raw vulnerability of being hunted, which would have made us more worried for her character, Sasha, throughout the film.
Moment of Truth
As much as Apex focuses on Ben’s pursuit of Sasha and her attempts to survive, the movie’s big surprise is that Egerton’s character is a cannibal rather then just a average killer. Rather than just eating his victims, he takes things to the next level by making human jerky and selling it at gas stations, calling it Jenno’s Jerky meaning that anyone eating his jerky is unknowingly complicit in his crimes and it’s even more so disturbing because Sasha eats it.
The most interesting area of Ben’s methodology is the rules of the hunt. Sasha asks for them at one point, but he doesn’t answer. Ben appears to always want his victims to be stocked with survival gear and gives them the length of a song to get a head start. I think a big part of this is because he doesn’t want them entirely defenceless so when he does catch his prey it’s more rewarding making him more Apex.
Final Verdict of Netflix's Apex
Personally, I think this film will be like Marmite to a lot of Netflix viewers, you’ll either love it or hate it, there won’t be an in-between.
Whilst I don’t think the film was horrendous, I can confidently say it is not going to be on my list of top movies for 2026 or one to rewatch in the future.
If I’m being honest, if it wasn’t for the two phenomenal actors, Theron and Egerton, being cast in this movie, it would feel like a B-movie and probably wouldn’t pique anyone’s interest.
The cast carried this movie through their acting skills, but the script lacked something to really engage the audience or make us feel anything towards the story.
I don’t doubt that this movie will go to the Top 10 on Netflix, but that will be solely based on the hype of the cast and the Netflix marketing team. After the hype dies down in a week or two, this movie will disappear into the vast Netflix abyss of content. Sadly, for me, it just didn’t live up to the hype.
Star Rating: 2/5 
Meet Our writer Lisa Legend
Lisa Legend is a London-based broadcaster, travel creator and the founder of Go Explore Radio. As a presenter, she brings energy and personality to popular shows including The Pool Party Travel Show, The Pool Party Club Classics, and The Friday Reset, blending great music with inspiring conversations around travel, lifestyle and modern living.
Alongside her work on air, Lisa is one of our main featured writers, sharing her genuine passion for travel, food and entertainment, with a sprinkle of business and lifestyle content for good measure. Her writing is engaging, relatable and rooted in real experiences, whether she’s uncovering hidden destinations, spotlighting foodie finds, or exploring trends that help listeners and readers reset, refocus and explore more.
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