The opening of “6 Underground” doesn’t ask for permission or ease the viewer in — it bulldozes its way forward, both literally and figuratively. In the first twenty minutes, we’re hurled into a whirlwind of stylized chaos: speeding cars obliterate everything in their path, the camera locks onto tense faces, lights flicker like visual sirens, bodies are tossed and bloodied without warning, and even an eyeball — yes, an eyeball — spins around the car like a secondary character. This isn’t about narrative or causal logic; it’s spectacle in its rawest form. It’s Michael Bay’s signature, where visual dissonance becomes fuel for a nonstop sensory explosion.
Once the storm settles, the plot begins to take shape. A tech billionaire, disillusioned by the world’s systemic inertia, builds his own brand of global justice. To do so, he recruits a group of experts who have each “died” in the eyes of society and now operate like tactical ghosts. Free from identity, constraints, or oversight, their mission is unambiguous: take down a dictator ruling over the fictional nation of Turgistan. The squad functions under a paramilitary ethos, but with the theatrical flair of vigilante heroes navigating outside the bounds of diplomacy and legality.
Visually, the film oscillates between pure frenzy and sharply choreographed sequences, evoking the cinematic language of Guy Ritchie, especially through its heavy use of slow motion, rapid cuts, and sudden tempo shifts. Bojan Bazelli’s cinematography stands out as a separate experience altogether: twelve different camera models were employed to capture a restless, fragmented, almost schizophrenic aesthetic. Bazelli blends technical precision with visual instinct to elevate each international backdrop into something more than scenery — they become dimensional escapes from the narrative. The film leaps from continent to continent like an action travelogue, and Bazelli’s lens never sits still — it urges the viewer to surrender to the excess.
Though Turgistan is a fictional creation, it clearly alludes to real-world authoritarian regimes. The scenes set there — as well as those meant to depict a Las Vegas casino — were actually filmed in Abu Dhabi. This geographic substitution serves a symbolic purpose: even if the antagonist is a cliché of absolute evil, the political subtext brushes against references to the Middle East without diving into its sociocultural complexities. The story opts for caricature over critique, shallow metaphor over substantial inquiry — a consistent choice in a film that pledges allegiance to action above all.
Led by Ryan Reynolds, the cast also includes Dave Franco, Mélanie Laurent, Ben Hardy, Adria Arjona, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, and Corey Hawkins. There’s little dramatic development among characters, as the film prioritizes kinetic energy over psychological nuance. Interpersonal moments serve as breathers between shootouts, more rhythmically functional than emotionally resonant.
With an estimated budget of $150 million, “6 Underground” ranks among Netflix’s most expensive productions, second only to “The Irishman.” And although its viewership numbers were staggering — reaching more than half of the platform’s global subscribers in its launch month — Netflix’s film chief Scott Stuber acknowledged a crucial shortfall: the movie failed to build lasting engagement. It didn’t spark a fanbase or ignite interest in its larger universe. Without that emotional investment, the potential for sequels quietly withered.
Even so, the film left an indelible mark. “6 Underground” isn’t so much a story as it is a sensory avalanche — a spectacle of action pushed to the extreme. It doesn’t aspire to reflect on the world but to offer escape: loud, dizzying, and visually hypnotic. Above all, it’s a showcase of high-impact entertainment, where excess isn’t a flaw but a founding principle. In this world, logic gives way to the choreography of chaos.
Film: 6 Underground
Director: Michael Bay
Year: 2020
Genre: Action
Rating: 6/10