In a surprising turn of events, John Cena‘s action-packed debut film has taken Netflix by storm. It has claimed the tenth spot on the streaming giant’s top ten film list worldwide.
With an impressive 7.6million hours viewed, The Marine has become a global sensation, ranking among the top ten films in 39 countries, ranging from Honduras to Turkey.
Directed by John Bonito, The Marine is a pulse-pounding action thriller that showcases Cena’s formidable on-screen presence. It has been frequently categorised in the list of films that are ‘so bad it’s good’.
The film, released in 2006, was written by Michelle Gallagher and Alan B. McElroy. Cena takes on the lead role of John Triton, a heroic Marine who finds himself on a mission to save his wife (played by Kelly Carlson) from a group of ruthless criminals led by Robert Patrick’s bathetically named character, Rome.
The storyline revolves around Triton’s unwavering determination to rescue his kidnapped wife, blending over-the-top adrenaline-pumping action sequences with moments of even more heart-pounding suspense.
Originally, WWE legend Stone Cold Steve Austin was slated to star in The Marine. But the role went to Cena once Austin backed out. In an interaction with Wrestling Inc., Cena had confided, “This was originally a role that was written for Steve Austin and two weeks before shooting, Steve backed out for whatever reason.”
Cena went on, “That’s a conversation for him. Vince [Executive producer and WWE co-founder, Vince McMahon] said, ‘Hey, I gotta send you to Australia.’ I said, ‘Okay, what am I doing?’ And he said, ‘Well, you’re gonna be in a movie.’ ‘Okay, when?’ ‘I gotta send you in 10 days.’ I pretty much left a small meeting in his office, and packed my bags, and went to be in the movies, which I knew nothing about.”
While The Marine was not a box office or critical success, it kickstarted John Cena’s action-hero story arc in Hollywood. You can now watch The Marine on Netflix.
