Netflix film with Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry The Union is the latest film in the action comedy subgenre – and it works thanks to Wahlberg, Berry and their supporting cast. Action comedies often try so hard to be both cool and funny that many of them fail at both. In welcome contrast, the actors in The Union have a high level of self-confidence that makes the film entertaining, even when a stunt or joke doesn’t work.

There is no doubt that The Union wants to be cool. The film follows an elite group of government agents and opens with the prototypical secret agent action sequence that audiences have seen many times before. But once Wahlberg and Berry are on screen together, the film takes off and never looks back. Whether it gets the sequel it wants is debatable, but this film is a satisfying experience in its own right.

The Union wins thanks to Halle Berry and Mark Wahlberg

JK Simmons and Mike Colter steal scenes along the way

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The core of The Union is the former relationship between Berry’s tough agent Roxanne Hall and Wahlberg’s aimless everyman Mike McKenna. Roxanne and Mike were a couple in high school, but now, while she’s saving the world, his greatest achievement is bragging about his seventh-grade teacher (played by Superman: The Animated Series Star Dana Delany in a great cameo, with Broadway singer Alex Brightman as her son, whom Mike awkwardly encounters). The two reunite when Roxanne needs a new face – the identities of all government agents are about to be exposed, so the best person to save the day is someone not on this list.

It’s the kind of slightly far-fetched premise you’d expect in this subgenre. But it also means that the film’s success relies on the audience caring about the relationship between Mike and Roxanne. If audiences don’t believe that the chemistry between them is still there after more than two decades, then there’s no reason to watch the film other than to see things fall apart. Luckily, Wahlberg and Berry have a relaxed conversation without much banter, as they already know each other; there are also some lovely photos of them together in the credits. This familiarity helps create the dynamic that Mike and Roxanne need.

In addition, all four main actors know the film they are starring in. Not only do they not take themselves too seriously, but they also seem to enjoy playing against the audience’s expectations. Knowing how much Wahlberg has worked in films like Sole survivor And Securityit’s fun to see Mike mess up while Roxanne tries to train him, and The Union also serves as a reminder of his extensive comedic resume. Of all the people he’s played alongside, however, his collaboration with Berry is one of his best. Roxanne has all the coolness audiences expect from a Halle Berry character or a globetrotting agent; it’s clear why Mike was easily influenced by her regardless. At the same time, Berry does a wonderful job of maintaining Roxanne’s vulnerability, and not just in the scenes with Mike. She gives the character facets that make the film better.

The duo are admirably supported by Mike Colter as Roxanne’s colleague Nick Faraday and JK Simmons as the obligatory boss figure. Both actors clearly enjoy their roles; Colter is popular as Luke Cage and for his world-saving heroics in the Paramount+ series Devilishbut he fully leans into Nick’s heel turn to make the character actually entertaining. Colter’s reaction when Nick is almost killed by a flying car is one of the best lines in the film. Simmons, on the other hand, is hilarious every time he says something; the Whiplash Star is a master of dry and sarcastic humor. The Union Although it’s an action movie, it almost has the feel of an 80’s road trip comedy because it’s one of those movies where everyone is having fun. And because they’re having fun, everyone else watching is having fun too.

How The Union’s comedy makes up for its familiar plot

Chemistry contributes significantly to success

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There are very few real surprises in The UnionAnyone who has seen an action comedy in the last decade knows what to expect from the screenplay by Joe Barton and David Guggenheim. Guggenheim previously created Designated Survivorwhich moved to Netflix after the political thriller’s first two seasons aired on ABC. He and Barton hit every point viewers expect, from the charmingly awkward training sequences to the requisite one-liners to the fourth-act twist that reveals Nick to be the real villain. Viewers never truly fear for Mike’s life because they know the film’s true resolution is Mike and Roxanne rekindling their relationship. But what The Union While it doesn’t offer all the amenities of the subgenre, it makes up for this with pure self-irony.

The appeal of the film is watching these actors who are so great at playing tough, stereotypical heroes, but then go in the exact opposite direction, as if everyone – including Netflix viewers – gets the joke. Once Nick’s villainy is exposed, Colter turns him into a live-action version of Archer Double agent Conway Stern. Wahlberg has already shot the “Buddy Cop” film with The slightly different copsbut in The Union he’s not afraid to be the least clueless person in the room. Berry seems incredibly relaxed and happy in the role of Roxanne; even when the character is in spy mode, she’s still full of energy.

The production follows their example and finds little ways to parody the look and feel of a spy movie. Director Julian Farino also worked on entourage – the hit HBO series loosely based on Wahlberg’s experiences as an aspiring actor – and the same tone is heard in this film. There are no big, flashy cuts and, aside from the opening sequence, there isn’t much spectacular spy work. The biggest problem is the over-reliance on needle-pricks, as the pop songs aren’t necessary. No one is rewriting the manual, but everyone is comfortably ignoring it.

Is Netflix’s “The Union” worth watching?

It may not be worth a sequel, but it’s a great time

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Another complaint with The Union is the open ending that so many movies have that try to force a sequel. When Mike is reunited with Roxanne at a wedding, her boss is waiting for her in the hallway, ready to send her to Marrakesh since Mike is now an official member of the organization. The movie deserved a better ending; while it’s great (and necessary) that Mike and Roxanne get a chance to rekindle their romance, this moment is the emotional note to end on, rather than already pushing it and the audience to look forward. And this decision by Barton and Guggenheim undermines what makes this movie watch-worthy.

In an entertainment landscape increasingly dominated by franchises and adaptations, The Union is successful because it has no agenda or presumption. It’s not about building a complex mythology, and there’s no underlying message. It’s simply about Netflix audiences having fun – sharing the fun everyone else is having. The biggest reason to make a sequel is the fact that, by the end, no one cares about a sequel. It’s some of the best comedic work Berry, Wahlberg, Simmons and Colter have ever done, and the kind of movie to be enjoyed with a bowl of popcorn and a few close friends. The Union may not break Netflix viewership records or win any more Oscars for its cast, but it is a reminder of how entertaining and charming movies can be.

“The Union” premieres on Netflix on August 16, 2024.