‘Apex’ review: This is why women choose the bear

Would you rather be stuck in the woods with a man or a bear? This seemingly simple imaginary question asked to women on TikTok in 2024 created an uproar across social media. Video after video shows the women picking on the bear, speaking out against rape culture and speculating on how a man alone in the woods might be up to no good, while being less suspicious of a bear in the woods. Others were offended by the idea that a random man might seem more of a threat to a woman than a wild animal. And now, the new Netflix movie top It seems certain to restart this debate.

To be clear, there are no bears in this Top. (Sorry for the spoiler?) Charlize Theron plays Sasha, a physically strong and resilient rock climber whose quest for adventure takes her to the Australian wilderness, where her goal is to go solo on white rapids. However, her plans for contemplative solitude are disrupted when she meets Ben (Taron Egerton), who seems friendly at first but soon proves to be the most deadly threat in this treacherous terrain.

Pitting an iconic action heroine against a madman who stalks animals in a ruthless jungle, top It’s a wild ride, filled with violence, action, gore, and many women’s worst fears.

top Will you be shocked from its first scene itself?

Directed by Baltasar Kormakur, top Starts with a peaceful scene. Sasha and her partner Tommy (a rugged Eric Bana) lie awake in a tent, with the wind howling outside. This gust of wind is a clue to their location. And while they were both very cool about it, I was really surprised when I discovered they were leaning against the edge of a huge rock. I am not afraid of heights. But when cinematographer Lawrence Sher followed Theron’s head to peek out the tent entrance, I was actually struck by a drop lying beneath her delicate tent.

The opening scene follows this adventurous pair as they climb rock face and talk along the way. But when disaster strikes, top Shocked not by their courage or natural wonders, but by their brutal and painful violence. Sasha’s next adventure will be full of this. Furthermore, we, the audience, understand how ruthless Kormakur will be when it comes to onscreen violence and its life or death stakes.

Certainly, when Sasha first meets Ben, he is very nice, even helpful. He puts himself between her and some dodgy people, and he provides her with directions to a prime camping site. But much like Kevin Bacon wild river, There’s a twinkle in his eye that suggests Ben can’t be trusted when it comes to this attractive blonde woman. Sure enough, he turns from assistant to hunter and tells Sasha she’d better run, because he has a crossbow and she’s in his sights.

To paraphrase the Doofenshmirtz meme: If I had a nickel for every time there was an Academy Award-winning leading lady fighting for her survival against a deranged killer played by a traditionally attractive leading man, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t much, but it’s weird that it happened twice.

Mashable Top Stories

top Full of eye-popping, stomach-churning action.

So much so that I’m sad you won’t be able to see it in theaters, as critics noted. Streaming on Netflix, the endless forests and waters, cliffs and caves that Sasha traverses in this intricate game of cat-and-mouse are absolutely stunning on a movie theater screen. The forests that surround him present their own obstacles, but Sasha was prepared for them. Now, pursued by this psychotic stalker, the expanse of the forest is like a cage from which she cannot easily escape.

Sasha will race through forests, fall into ravines, hit raging rivers, climb rocks and travel through unknown caves as she is pursued by the cantankerous villain. Like wild riverThere is an undercurrent of psychological torture between the charismatic criminal and his hostage heroine. But Theron’s character suffers a much more brutal beating at the hands of man and nature – though never bears down.

star of atomic blonde And old guard Comes into action with a growl, yet remains calm under pressure. And that makes facing him even scarier. This is not the teenage babysitter the suburban slasher is stalking. This is no compassionate mother who is forced to protect her family from a gun-wielding bank robber. Sasha is presented as tough and fearless right out of the gate. And yet, a “nice guy” with a hidden agenda of misogyny got her. Egerton being younger than Theron, Ben being a bit flamboyant and extremely friendly only makes this change more painful. Because while not every woman will see themselves in a character like Sasha, who can climb a hundred-foot cliff for fun (definitely not me!), many women will see themselves in the woman who realizes too late that she’s mistaken a stalker for a nice man.

Taron Egerton delivers a career-defining performance Top.

This English actor is building an unexpected and thus absolutely thrilling career. Leading off the Kingsman film series, Egerton quickly established himself as a leading man with swagger and comedy. Then in 2019, he threw himself into the challenging role of an uncle in the musical biopic Elton John. rocket Man. There, he had to take to the arena stage to not only recapture the magic of being one of the greatest rock stars of all time, but also find those quiet moments of frustration and isolation that fueled John’s addiction.

with singHe brought enthusiasm to a pop-loving gorilla. then in tetris, He played an ambitious American entrepreneur who gets caught up in the confusion and espionage of the Cold War. Recently, in Netflix carry on, He played the role of a man who was challenged to become an action hero. but with this top, He becomes completely evil.

As for Ben, he manages a switch on Ed Norton levels primal Fear. You know one. What’s wonderful is that Egerton is completely believable as a delightful stranger who is happy to help a lost tourist. But when his eyes turn cold, revealing Ben’s hunting plan, there is a glow in the dark that is absolutely startling. It’s not like Ben is going to chase Sasha like a deer in the woods. He will enjoy every moment of torture – whether physical or psychological – he can subject her to.

Egerton threw himself into the work with the same energy as he rocketman’s Musical numbers. He chows down on the threats in Jeremy Robbins’ script as if they were jerky that Ben sells at the local convenience store. And he will howl and caw like a wild thing, not afraid to let Sasha know where he is, because she has come into his territory, where he feels invincible. Even a cheeky sadness, such as when Ben skinny-dips – and Cormakur offers a glimpse at Egerton’s very thirsty bottom – is threaded with horror. Ben is treating it like a holiday, celebrating it naked and free, while Sasha is desperately trying to escape.

top A relentless, thrilling and unnerving horror thriller that sees Theron and Egerton at their best in a brutal face-off. This will be a fun watch at home, which will keep the audience engaged with its sharp twists and gore. But I pity those who won’t get the chance to see the scenes and violence captured by Kormákur on the big screen, where the wonder and horror of them can truly overwhelm you.

top Premieres on Netflix on April 24.