‘Hidden Strike’ Review: John Cena and Jackie Chan Fight CGI Hell
Early on in Hidden Strike, an action-comedy whose humor comes less from the jokes than the bizarre nature of every element of its presentation, we get one of the most strange character introductions put to screen in some time. After a more straight-faced one for Jackie Chan’s Luo Feng, we then shift to a scene elsewhere that sets the tone for what is in store.
The story, for what little it matters, is of two ex-special forces soldiers who find themselves brought together for a common goal. They must battle against thinly sketched villains on the infamous "Highway of Death" in Baghdad. While Chris was initially part of a group of mercenaries on the other side, he is supposedly a good guy at heart. We know this because he plays catch with a kid and seems vaguely concerned about the state of this corner of the world where he is a hired gun.
Both the action and the story feel like it is just checking boxes with no real heft behind them. Even when they eventually go head-to-head with the villainous Pilou Asbæk, most known for Game of Thrones who was also wonderfully menacing in last year’s Run Sweetheart Run, the foundation wasn’t there to make this feel remotely significant.
'Hidden Strike' Lacks a Prevailing Punch Near the end, there is a moment where the action grinds to a halt for Cena to riff a bit on the recurring question of a nickname he was trying to come up with for a forgettable mid-level antagonist. Rather than feel like a rewarding punchline that we had been waiting for with bated breath, clumsy execution makes it fall flat.
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