‘Matchbox: The Movie’ review: John Cena’s new Apple TV action comedy should have stayed inside the box

Today, there are movie adaptations of everything you can think of – not only books and video games, but even toys, including the recent ones. Barbie and Masters of the Universe. now, Apple TVand Matchbox: The Movie have turned those tiny cars you played with as a child into their own feature film. But Matchbox: The Movie not about the toys themselves, which unfortunately would have been a more interesting idea than the actual movie we got.

Star John Cena and Jessica Biel, Matchbox: The Movie nothing more than stupidity Fast and furious hit with lots of action but little purpose. It’s fine for what it is, but you won’t remember decades later how to build those toy cars that sparked your childhood imagination.

What is ‘Matchbox: The Movie’ about?

Matchbox: The Movie begins in the late 90s, after a group of five teenagers in Ohio who call themselves the Matchbox group. With nowhere else to go, they hang out in the garage run by Aimee’s (Reagan Marum) mechanic uncle (Bill Camp), and play with his toy car collection (as teenagers are sure to love). They include Sean Walker (Graham Harvey), who is totally in love with Aimee. After telling him that she will always love anyone who gives her a vintage 1969 Chevy Camaro, Sean gets her a Matchbox version of the car, only to find out when the time comes to give it to her and profess his love.

We barely meet these children before the plot moves to the present day. Now, Sean (Cena) is a jacked CIA agent flying through the desert in an impenetrable vehicle while being chased by bad guys. And why is that? Because he delivers a nuclear warhead to some mysterious people with the help of his boss (North Danai), Of course. When that warhead goes missing, of course, Walker is to blame. Meanwhile, tragedy brings Sean back to Ohio, where he is reunited with his old Matchbox gang friends, Aimee (Biel), Crosby (Sam Richardson), Charmaine (Teyonah Parris), and Ted (Arturo Castro).

Returning home turns out to be a bad idea for Sean. Not only does he have to face Aimee, about whom he is still a mystery, but soon enough, Sean and his old friends are taken hostage, with the whole gang blamed for the robbery. Through a mix of action and fish-out-of-water comedy, they must clear their names and save each other’s lives.

‘Matchbox: The Movie’ suffers from an uninspired and predictable script

The first several minutes of Matchbox: The Movie is rough. The child actors’ lines are too cute to be true, and the music soars like we’re in a Hallmark movie. As soon as the story turns to the present day, the film finds a little more ground with a renowned actor who is able to believe anything. The only issue is that the script they have provided, is written by David Coggenshallit is beyond general. We’ve spent so little time with these characters in the past that there’s no reason to worry about them now, but we know we have a right. Sean is the typical badass good guy, a real guy who can easily take out any faceless bad guy who gets in his way with his fists or a gun. Aimee is the grieving divorcee who is there to look after Sean and help him save the day when the time comes, and a little more. Everyone is a type, but no one is a real person.

Matchbox: The Movie duly directed by Sam Hargrave (Extraction). The action scenes are well shot and flow smoothlyand although most of them are general and paint-by-numbers, there are some rather intense moments. However, when every other scene is either a gun fight, a brawl, or a car chase, all of them are easily won by a group of warriors who can find hundreds of bullets aimed their way, nothing matters. One scene even goes so far as to have the main character’s leg on fire for a good thirty secondsjust for them to be fine, as if nothing had happened, for the rest of the movie.

Disbelief is an issue for many action flicks, as it is a genre where belief must naturally be suspended. That lack of credibility may be fine for audiences who only want high-octane fun. However, when the action is completely empty, what should be exciting is just the mind. What’s holding him back anyway Matchbox: The Movie the comedy is palpable. Sean Walker’s friends are in over their heads, and they are completely confused by their situation. Sam Richardson in particular carries the weight of comic relief with ease as he has done many times before. But these actors, as good as they are, are the supporting cast. Matchbox: The Movie It is John Cena’s vehicle, and he will only succeed if he gets a license to drive. This, unfortunately, is where the film really fails.

‘Matchbox: The Movie’ Blocks John Cena’s Acting Talent

John Cena shows as much charisma as his muscles, which the former WWE star showed for decades in the wrestling ring. But when he first started acting in general action movies like The Seahis Hollywood career seemed dead on arrival. He took A train wreck to show that Cena was capable of being so much more than the stoic good guy in a mischievous action fare. He has continued to impress in the years since, most recently as this year’s speaker Coyote vs. Acme.

That’s what does Matchbox: The Movie so desperate: He does so little with his great star. Instead of showing any personality, Cena is running around like it’s 2006 all over again. It is a testament to his acting abilities to see him carry himself so effortlessly. Sean Walker’s flat facial expressions and voice rarely change outside of a small smile and a quick joke here and there; he’s a sad kid here to kick butt, as so many other action figures have done before. Stifling his talent and refusing to let it break free is terrible. He also didn’t do himself any favors by having a main character who is so poorly written and so easy to beat.

Matchbox: The Movie it is not an accident. It’s worth watching if you have two hours to kill on some mindless action schlock. That’s not good enough, though a film that feels more like propaganda for a toy, where there is not much emphasis on the script. More than once, characters tell us that a Matchbox toy is more than just a car. But the film struggles to show us that it is about something. He wants us to believe that it is about love without putting any love into the final product. The stellar team deserves much better than this. You will, too. The aforementioned Hot Wheels movie might get it right.