XTREME on Netflix is a Spanish action thriller (org. title Xtremo) that feels like The Raid meets a Jason Statham action movie. Well, almost. This Netflix movie is definitely too long, but the action scenes are extremely impressive. Read our full Xtreme movie review here!
XTREME is a new Netflix action thriller that takes place in the Spanish underworld. Yes, this is a Spanish movie (org. title Xtremo) but don’t worry about any language barrier. The dialogue isn’t what carries this movie, the insane (and amazing) action sequences are.
The one downfall of this movie is its runtime. It’s a good 15-20 minutes too long with a runtime of 1 hour and 51 minutes which is far too long. The story isn’t really big enough for that and a few fight scenes could have been cut (or shortened) for a tighter movie. Ironically, it would have had much more punch that way!
Continue reading our Xtreme movie review below and find it on Netflix now (possibly under the title Xtremo).
The Raid, Jason Statham, and a touch of Jean-Claude Van Damme
Very early on, I was reminded a lot of the amazing Indonesian action thriller The Raid from 2011 that starred Iko Uwais (Netflix series Wu Assassins). This is mostly in terms of the impressive action scenes though the fighting style is different. Also, this Spanish Netflix movie is too long and has too many slow passages to actually match The Raid.
At the same time, the main character also reminded me quite a bit of Jason Statham in one of his high-intensity action movies. Not the Jason Statham who uses more humor as in the shark movie The Meg (2018). No, the straight-up action star with awesome fight scenes and action movies with a very simple plot.
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Also, there are some scenes that go just a few seconds too far with “the drama”. When that happens, the main protagonist suddenly reminded me of Jean-Claude Van Damme. You know, in his movies from the 1990s where we got extreme close-ups of him screaming. Either from emotional anguish or because he just killed someone with a crazy kick or punch.
Hey, I enjoy them all, but I love my action served with a side of “tongue-in-cheek” humor from the guy or gal kicking butt. Something both Statham and good ol’ Jean-Claude (in later movies) excel at.
Watch the action thriller Xtreme on Netflix now!
Daniel Benmayor is the director of this Spanish Netflix movie (org. title Xtremo). He previously directed the parkour action movie Tracers (2015), starring Taylor Lautner right after doing Twilight, so Daniel Benmayor knows how to work fast-paced action sequences.
Teo García stars as Maximo and he’s also the one who came up with the original idea and story for the movie. Actually, the story was created with Xtreme‘s fight coordinator, Genaro Rodriguez, while the screenplay was written by Ivan Ledesma.
Aside from Teo García in the lead, the cast includes Óscar Jaenada (The Shallows) and a very charming Óscar Casas (The Orphanage). Also, in a dark role, we see Sergio Peris-Mencheta who you might recognize from Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010) or the Snowfall series on FX/Hulu. Also, he’ll be in the upcoming Narcos vs Zombies series currently in post-production.
To me, a movie like Xtreme is an unapologetic action thriller. If you view it as such, it’s solid entertainment. Just don’t expect the story to be too deep. It is very much a revenge story with lots of bloody fight sequences. And hey, sometimes that’s all you need for a Friday night’s entertainment.
Xtreme is out on Netflix from June 4, 2021.
Details
Director: Daniel Benmayor
Writers: Teo García, Genaro Rodriguez, Ivan Ledesma
Stars: Teo García, Óscar Casas, Óscar Jaenada, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Andrea Duro
Plot
In this fast-paced and action-packed thriller, a retired hitman — along with his sister and a troubled teen — takes revenge on his lethal stepbrother.
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