Review: Action Acts a Double-Edged Sword For an Otherwise Dismal '6 Underground'

One would remember how we talked about Netflix planning to adopt quality control after greenlighting the debacle of a film that was Drive. Well, it isn't just India they need to do that.

Director Michael Bay's resume speaks for itself. You know you're in a crazy ride where you shouldn't be questioning too much about the script, story or even characters for that matter. However, that question forcibly comes to play when you plan to make a 125-minute action sequence in the name of a film.

6 Underground is about a billionaire, One (Ryan Reynolds), who has assembled a 'killer' team in order to protect the future from a major threat, which for some reason is all surrounded in the country of Turgistan. The catch here with the vigilante squad is that all the six (actually seven) individuals have faked their own deaths and there is apparently no record of anything even after they do crazy things - like create a massacre in Italy and then in Turgistan.

As mentioned earlier, in a Michael Bay film, you don't question the logic, story or what's going on, too much - all there is - a decent premise to work with. Even with what was as crazy a concept like Transformers, there were things or a thread of storyline that you are hooked on to with. Nothing of that manner happens in 6 Underground. The development of the film is so convoluted and in fact, exhausting that you lose complete track of what exactly is going on in the film.

If you haven't seen any Bay films previously, once you Google him, his description rightfully reads how he is known for 'directing and producing big-budget, high-concept action films characterized by fast cutting, stylistic visuals and extensive use of special effects, including frequent depictions of explosions.' It is accurate, probably more accurate this time than ever. 6 Underground lives up to the trademark style of Bay and in fact ups the ante with the same with full conviction.

Forget about stylized action sequences, the action and adrenaline rush in this film is at its absolute peak and that turns out to be its biggest selling point as well as its biggest flaw.  The film is over 2 hours long and 80% of that is action, killing, gore, and absolute mayhem. When you have an almost 15-minute chase sequence at the beginning of the film, you usually know what you're in for.

Only here, you still don't quite know that. Because even after that sequence, nothing changes as there is one action sequence after the other and it goes on. And just in case you think this wasn't enough, there is sufficient gore for a section of viewers to be pissed at too. Bodies breaking, flesh and blood scattering, and running over humans with cars and other vehicles is a rather common sight throughout the film. In the first sequence of the film, Reynolds' character of One is literally joking around with the eyeball of a human as it grosses him and his driver out for almost two minutes.

As mentioned, the action and scale is what is good as well as bad for the film. What's good is that you can see the effort, pain, and planning that has gone on to design probably the most breathtaking sequences you have ever seen. Yes, Mission Impossible and Fast & Furious franchises included. It's massive and glorious in several ways and that in itself is a huge feat. Supposed to be Netflix's mega-budget presentation, you can see that money is spent and certainly pots and pots of it. Usually, I nitpick the negatives from a show or a film but here, apart from the action, nitpicking the other positive is how the humor is almost spot-on. Reynolds has perfected the genre of action comedy with Deadpool franchise and that stays here too as some comic sequence of events are genuinely funny and smart too.

But in the end, 6 Underground is fighting a lost battle as nothing about the storyline or character development keeps you hooked on. In one way you can be thankful that it is on Netflix so that you can switch-off or take a break in between what becomes a snooze-fest.

None of this is going to stop the movie from becoming a blockbuster on Netflix but if quality control is the way to go for the streamer, it needs to be pan world.

Rating - ** (2/5)