The Netflix Action Thriller With Marvel A-List Star And Controversial Director

6 Underground has an interesting premise, a concoction of various action genre tropes, in which seven individuals, all presumed dead, form a vigilante squad to take down some of the world’s most notorious criminals running the country of Turgistan (not a real country, by the way). It’s a pretty linear narrative with a thrilling mix of high-stake missions, personal stories, and high-octane action that still somehow manages to scratch beneath the surface of cheap entertainment thrills and find questions about morality and justice.

Ryan Ryanold’s character, with his now-trademark wit and charm, portrays One, a presumed dead tech mogul who now uses his vast assets to lead the vigilante ensemble and fund their little revolution-inspiring field trips. The other team members in 6 Underground, named Two through Seven, are portrayed by Mélanie Laurent, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ben Hardy, Adria Arjona, Dave Franco, and Corey Hawkins, respectively. Their characters all come from different backgrounds, and the only thing they have in common is that they’re the absolute masters of their craft.

Production-wise, 6 Underground is everything you can expect from a Michael Bay movie and the director’s distinctive, albeit often polarizing, direction. This means that the audiences enjoying 6 Underground can expect over-the-top action scenes with fast edits and overwhelming and impressive visuals—who knows just how much explosive time was spent filming this movie? Not only that but given the location of the fictional country of Turgistan, nearly all the scenes were shot in exotic locations, from Rome to Abu Dhabi, which adds to the film’s aesthetic appeal.

Unfortunately, Michael Bay’s style is what determined the film’s quality, giving 6 Underground a mixed reception among the critics. The movie has been praised for its action sequences and visual effects, but some critics pointed out a rather thin plot (which might be the case) and the film’s over-reliance on Bay-esque movie tropes. Ultimately, 6 Underground is loud, frenetic, and preposterous, making it either a relatively okay pastime or a hearty recommendation, depending on where you stand on Michael Bay movies.

With everything said and done, Netflix didn’t disclose how the movie performed over time, and while 6 Underground left the door open for a sequel, nothing came of it. Netflix planned on making a whole franchise out of the film, but there wasn’t enough love for vigilantes who faked their deaths to justify making a sequel. While many are open to questioning the cinematic quality of 6 Underground, considering its director, we can confidently say that it was a popular movie at the time of its release.

Those interested in watching 6 Underground can stream the movie via Netflix.