Amidst the ever-growing heap of cinematic trash lurking on Netflix, a fresh contender has emerged to boggle the minds of viewers everywhere. We’re talking about those B-grade action flicks that seem to populate the streaming service like rabbits in spring.
This time, it’s The Bricklayer, a Renny Harlin production starring Aaron Eckhart, which has found itself perched at a lofty sixth place on Netflix’s global top ten films list. With 8.5 million hours viewed and 4.6 million individual views, it seems this film is gathering quite the audience, though whether it’s for all the right reasons remains up for debate.
Directed by Harlin and penned by Hanna Weg and Matt Johnson, The Bricklayer features Nina Dobrev, Tim Blake Nelson, Ilfenesh Hadera, and Clifton Collins Jr. Eckhart takes centre stage as Steve Vail, a CIA field agent turned bricklayer with a peculiar affinity for classical jazz. When a series of international journalists meet untimely demises, the CIA finds itself in dire need of Vail’s particular set of skills once again.
The plot, if you can call it that, revolves around Vail being pulled back into the murky world of espionage. He has to track down a former colleague turned rogue operative, Victor Radek (played by Clifton Collins Jr). As Vail reluctantly takes up this mission to stop Radek’s killing spree and clear the CIA’s tarnished reputation, viewers are treated to a rollercoaster ride of absurdity and clichés.
From impromptu brick-based combat sequences to questionable CGI, The Bricklayer is determined to leave no action movie trope unturned. And let’s not forget the unforgettable scene where Vail dispatches bad guys using nothing but a trowel, a tape measure, and, you guessed it, an actual brick. Who needs high-tech gadgets when you’ve got hardware store supplies, right?
But it’s not just the action that’s drawing attention; viewers have been quick to point out the film’s cringe-inducing dialogue, laughable plot twists, and performances that range from wooden to downright bewildering. Tweets like “I watched a spy movie on Netflix tonight, ‘The Bricklayer.’ It was one of the stupidest movies I have ever seen. I was embarrassed to have watched it” and “The CGI in #TheBricklayer is LAUGHABLY bad” are just a taste of the ridicule this unintentionally comedic gem has garnered.
Despite the barrage of criticism, or perhaps because of it, The Bricklayer continues to trend on Netflix, proving once again that sometimes the best entertainment comes in the form of a gloriously lousy movie.
So, if you find yourself in need of a good laugh or simply want to witness Aaron Eckhart’s descent into brick-wielding madness, look no further than The Bricklayer on Netflix. Just don’t say we didn’t warn you.
