Warning: Major spoilers for Back in Action below! cast elevates the latest Netflix action comedy - and uses the audience's knowledge of their previous roles against them. Back in Action marks Cameron Diaz's return to acting after a decade-long hiatus, with the movie leaning heavily on the comic chemistry between her and co-star Jamie Foxx. Reviews for Back in Action have been mixed overall, with critics giving the ensemble positive notices but finding the film itself generic and uninspired.

It certainly pulls a lot from other spy movies and TV shows, from Mr & Mrs Smith to Diaz's own action comedy Knight and Day. At least compared to Netflix's other recent spy comedy The Union, Back in Action at least has some genuine laughs and well-staged setpieces. The plot itself is nothing new, though .

Back in Action casts Andrew Scott as Baron, an MI6 operative who once went out with Emily (Cameron Diaz) and is clearly still in love with her. Emily and Matt (Jamie Foxx) later suspect Baron is the one chasing after them and trying to recover the ICS key. Of course, audiences will suspect Scott based on his past roles. The Irish star first shot to fame as Moriarty on BBC's Sherlock, and followed up with more villainous parts like C in the James Bond outing, Spectre.

Back in Action itself casts doubt on Baron's intentions as he chases after Matt and Emily, with his colleague Wendy (Fola Evans-Akingbola) suspicious of how he's handling the case. The big reveal that Baron is the bad guy feels inevitable - but it never arrives. , outside a somewhat creepy fixation on Emily. Still, he has no connection to the mercenaries seeking the ICS key.

on the filmmaker's part. The actor has played plenty of good guy roles, but audiences are almost predisposed to view him as a villain in disguise - especially as he recently played Ripley on the Netflix series of the same name. Sadly, that means Scott doesn't get much to do in the film, other than issue orders and look stern.

Back in Action also features what initially appears to be a cameo from Kyle Chandler as Emily and Matt's boss. He's walking them through the opening mission before they decide to disappear and go lead normal lives. Chandler's Chuck then suddenly turns up at their home 15 years later, warning them their lives are in danger - before getting killed by a sniper. This turns out to be an elaborate ruse, as having manipulated the couple into leading him to the key.

Chandler is best known as Coach Taylor on Friday Night Lights, who is one of the great TV dads of the 21st Century. in the third act. Again, Back in Action isn't breaking any new ground in the spy genre, but it is nice to see the people behind the camera put some thought into wrong footing viewers with its casting choices.

In all likelihood, Back in Action will prove a big hit for Netflix, and will then quickly fade from memory like The Union or Red Notice. It's not that the movie is bad; . One strength it features is the cast; Foxx and Diaz bat quips back and forth with gusto, while Glenn Close devours every scene as Emily's estranged mother Ginny.

Scott and Chandler don't get much to work with, though the latter gives such a convincing villain's speech that he might just convince audiences his character is right. I, a dweeby, socially awkward wannabe spy. Demetriou enters the story late but is genuinely hilarious, and will no doubt get more work off the back of it. If there is a single reason to see , it's to watch a great cast do their thing with a familiar story.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes