Apex (2021)

Directed by: Edward Drake | 94 minutes | action, thriller, science fiction | Actors: Neal McDonough, Bruce Willis, Corey Large, Alexia Fast, Lochlyn Munro, Nels Lennarson, Megan Peta Hill, Trevor Gretzky, Clem Duranseaud, Everly Large, Brooke Baker

Science fiction action thriller ‘Apex’ by director Edward Drake has the dubious honor of being included in the list of B-movies for which Bruce Willis received a Razzie nomination in 2022. Does that mean it’s a bad movie? Well no. There’s a world of difference between Oscar material and the kind of films Bruce has been making in recent years, but ‘Apex’ is certainly not the worst thing to come out in film history, or even worse: 2021.

And speaking of film history, ‘Apex’ takes its origin from a short story by American writer Richard Connell, “The Most Dangerous Game”. This story appeared in 1924 and eight years later the film adaptation came out. Connell co-wrote the screenplay for the film that was shot at the same time as the classic ‘King Kong’: when the film crew of ‘King Kong’ (1933) packed things up for some well-deserved hours of sleep, the shooting for ‘The Most Dangerous Game’ started. starting. ‘Apex’ is just one of the many films based on this rock-solid concept.

‘Apex’ is set in the unspecified future. The tone is set from the very first scene: people are hunted with heavy artillery. Once the hunter has his prey in his sights, the victim is killed without compassion. The hunter in question, Samuel Rainsford (Neal McDonough) doesn’t really like the game anymore, he tells the organization Apex. There is no challenge anymore. Enter Thomas Malone (Bruce Willis).

Thomas Malone is a former police officer who has been imprisoned for years. Although this solitary confinement doesn’t seem to bother him much, Apex owner West (Alexia Fast) makes him an offer (freedom if he survives the hunt) – partly combined with the newly acquired knowledge that he is now grandfather has become too beautiful not to grasp. So Malone agrees. The six hunters invited to this monthly outing on a remote island get a hilarious introduction to what they’re up to with Malone. This is an example of strong screenwriting that will be especially appreciated by fans of Bruce Willis.

The rest of ‘Apex’ can be guessed. In over an hour and a half we meet the six arrogant and exorbitantly rich hunters, who each have their own reasons for participating in this bizarre and horrific game. Less predictable is the order in which the interchangeable men (and one woman) in this ‘ten little niggas’ story will die, although you can predict the two participants in the final just based on the movie poster. The dialogues of ‘Apex’ deserved a rewrite round. Bruce doesn’t have much to do. He hangs out in the woods for a bit and watches the hunters from a ‘safe’ distance. Something of his old cool self does shine through, but the film is self-conscious enough to initially let the fighters go wild at his age, which of course makes them underestimate him. Neal McDonough is terrifying enough and puts down a convincing antagonist. Whether it’s his light eyes or his piercing gaze, his composed appearance does not hide the fact that there is a twisted mind lurking in this body.

Visually, ‘Apex’ looks pretty decent too, with the occasional artistic color palette. The budget will not be comparable to an average cinema film, but the makers have divided the resources at their disposal well. Adjust your expectations and you could really take it worse than ‘Apex’ if you’re into a simple action thriller.