Exterritorial review: A gritty rescue mission that fights hard but thinks little

Netflix’s new German action thriller offers a strong female character but fails in storytelling and originality.

Everyone must be aware of the plethora of action flicks available on Netflix and Exterritorial is just another addition to the collection. The movie starts with American Consulate Sara, a Bundeswehr ex-soldier who is embroiled in a desperate attempt to save her son from captivity.

What follows is an uncompromising, relentless siege full of punches, explosions, and power. Exterritorial manages to gratifyingly get the visceral action right—but nothing more. And that’s where it falls apart.

Muscles, mayhem, and a mother’s mission

It’s clear that Jeanne Goursaud’s performance as Sara is the greatest highlight of the film. Her entrance is captivating as she appears to be sweating profusely and has the nerves of steel, physically embodying someone who has been through wars, both on and off the battlefield.

Sara has PTSD, and the efforts of the film are directed towards depicting her trauma as she tries to make sense of the madness in the consulate and its surroundings. Unfortunately, the film neglects the focus on emotional depth. The spectacle takes precedence for the rest of the film, transforming the deeply intricate psychological-action thriller into yet another mindless race against the clock.

Action fans will undoubtedly appreciate the rest of the film, as Goursaud pulls off her own adrenaline-filled stunts, wielding a calculated ferocity. The stunts claim festering windows, hand-to-hand combat in confined spaces, and dominating equipped sentinels through will, all of which are done with a gripping sense of brutality. The breathtaking ferocity of the stunts, Sara's fights, and her boundless spirit all contribute to an unparalleled thrill.

A maze of missed opportunities

The United States consulate, which serves as the primary setting for the story, looks more like a video game stage than a semblance of reality. Doors are locked for no reason, there are secret passages everywhere, clandestine business deals come and go with no explanation, and so on.

At certain points, the film's over-the-top conspiracy labyrinth is so exaggerated that it borders on ridiculous—mostly because the plot never escalates high enough to warrant such heavy competition.

As for the narrative, in the guise of an action thriller, it doesn’t have any punishing consequences to claim part of its weight—it is still built up for a greater purpose than what the viewers get. For example, Dougray Scott takes the role of Sara’s ex-boyfriend, Erik.

He surely leaves a mark as a mustachioed keeper of feelings but does so with only infrequent displays of emotional support and results in far less than his role allows. And just so, together with him, I must say his part becomes truly intriguing only to drop off the blaster of full-speed acceleration in the plot.

Even worse off is Lera Abova as Irina. She feels completely unfulfilled, scarcely having an opportunity to bring out the best in her talent, for there is no screenplay to work with.

Style over substance

As is the style with many Netflix thrillers, Exterritorial attempts to balance high-stakes drama with dumb action, resulting in very little drama and no action. The film’s pacing is brisk, the visuals are orderly, and the sound design tries its very best to inflate the viewer’s blood pressure.

But under the polish, the film is riddled with clichés: the tortured soldier, the corrupt organization, and the last-minute rescue. It is yet another easily consumed yet forgettable movie.

The film is far from terrible; rather, it falls short of its potential in a frustrating way. There exist traces of films far more engaging than this, which are unfortunately concealed under layers of poor execution.

Frustratingly, Exterritorial is an emotionally resonant story waiting to be told, but as it stands, the film is riddled with half-baked ideas. It attempts to be an average action flick but instead reveals flashes of promise masked by low expectations.

Final verdict

Exterritorial has impressive action and a powerful lead performance, yet falters with a cliché storyline and lackluster supporting roles. It's a watchable movie that offers momentary enjoyment but fails to resonate on a deeper level.

If you're interested in a spirited, action-packed movie with a no-nonsense female protagonist and don’t mind some loose plot threads, this should satisfy you... But be forewarned, nothing in this movie is likely to catch you off guard.