The latest film, The Union, directed by Julian Farino and starring Halle Berry and Mark Wahlberg, has been met with criticism for its lack of quality and substance. This Netflix production, which received a mere one-star rating, has been described as tedious and unoriginal.
In the film, Berry portrays Roxanne, a lethal spy employed by a secret agency known as “The Union,” tasked with protecting the world from unspecified threats. Following a disastrous mission in Trieste, Italy, where chaos ensues, The Union seeks someone inconspicuous to replace Roxanne. She thinks of her former high school boyfriend Mike, played by Mark Wahlberg, who is depicted as an ordinary construction worker living in New Jersey. When Roxanne approaches Mike to reconnect, she unexpectedly tranquilizes him, leading to his awakening in London. Here, he meets the leader of The Union, portrayed by J.K. Simmons, who pressures Roxanne to train Mike in the art of persuasion.
The plot centers around Roxanne recruiting Mike, who has not seen her in 25 years, to embark on a dangerous mission as a novice secret agent. Despite the flimsy premise of transforming a regular guy into a world-saving hero, Mike is quickly swept up in the thrill of espionage, promising to return home in time for a wedding.
As the story unfolds, Mike undergoes rigorous training to prepare for a pivotal mission involving an auction of stolen intelligence, where identities of spies could be compromised. The film includes a series of overused clichés, featuring Iranian terrorists and action sequences reminiscent of other blockbuster films. Unfortunately, the movie lacks any distinctive personality, suffering from poor direction and a substandard script that fail to engage viewers.
Despite the star power of Berry and Wahlberg, their performances are marked by a glaring lack of chemistry, further hindering the film’s appeal. The Union is criticized for being excessively noisy and devoid of humor, ultimately falling flat in its attempt to deliver an engaging action experience.