Netflix movie becomes Mark Wahlberg’s worst-reviewed
Netflix has often attracted criticism for its prioritisation of ‘safe’ blockbuster films, rather than potentially risky, original projects. That reputation might just be coming back to haunt the streaming service, as their latest effort, The Union – starring Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry – has been almost universally panned by audiences and critics alike.
Debuting on the platform last week. August 16th, The Union follows the tale of an ordinary construction worker, played by Wahlberg, who becomes involved in the high-octane world of secret agents and special intelligence when Roxanne – played by Halle Berry – recruits him for a mission. As you can likely tell from that description, the film is not one of Netflix’s more engaging offerings.
The film seems to follow the same generic fish-out-of-water approach taken by the vast majority of unimaginative action-comedy films in recent years. In fact, the only thing that sets The Union apart from the rest of Netflix’s action offerings is the inclusion of high-profile actors in the form of Wahlberg and Berry.
Of course, both these stars have starred in their fair share of bad movies, as has almost every actor in the history of film. However, you would imagine that, at this point in their respective careers, Berry and Wahlberg would have a certain freedom to pick and choose their projects. So, whatever attracted them to starring in The Union remains unknown.
Despite quickly rising to the top of Netflix’s streaming charts, audiences have had very little positive to say about the action film. Reportedly, its predominant crimes were the cheesy, generic plotline and largely unengaging construction. While some viewers noted that both Wahlberg and Berry gave commendable performances, the general consensus is that The Union is best forgotten about.
These sentiments are reflected in the film’s current rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which sits at a 28% audience score. Nevertheless, the director, Julian Farino, has been hinting at a potential sequel to the film. Speaking to Variety, he revealed, “Netflix always said to us at the beginning, ‘You have to think of this as a possible three-movie idea.’”
Whether or not audiences are subjected to a The Union trilogy or not remains to be seen. given the track record of the streaming service, who have always liked to maximise output while keeping costs down, it is certainly not outside the realm of possibility, regardless of the film’s many negative reviews.