Matchbox The Movie: John Cena's Apple TV film falls flat with critics

After Barbie come the toy cars: starting today, October 9, “Matchbox The Movie” is streaming on Apple TV at no extra cost to subscribers. Based on Mattel's Matchbox cars, the film sends John Cena back to his hometown as CIA agent Sean, where he unwittingly drags his childhood friends into a chase around the globe – with nothing less than saving the world at stake, of course. At least, that is how Apple describes the film on its press page.

Behind the camera is Sam Hargrave, who proved with the “Extraction” films that he knows how to direct action. The screenplay is by David Coggeshall, with David Ellison and Dana Goldberg among the producers. Joining Cena are Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Arturo Castro, Teyonah Parris, Danai Gurira and Corey Stoll. The film runs for 126 minutes and is rated PG-13 in the US.

Critics are unimpressed

How has it been received? Rather poorly by critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently has 25% positive reviews out of 20 reviews counted – shortly after the review embargo lifted, it was at just 20% from ten reviews. That puts “Matchbox” below even the weakest entry in the “Fast & Furious” franchise, which has a 29% rating according to SuperHeroHype. Barbie, the major benchmark from the same toy company, stands at 88%.

The most common criticism is that the film does too little with its brand. Several reviewers complain that the miniature cars barely play a role and that the plot feels like a generic action film. Collider, for example, calls it a tired copy of “Fast & Furious”, while The New York Times considers adapting a brand with no identity of its own a venture doomed from the start. The film is not entirely without praise, however: some critics highlight the cast and individual action scenes.

The Barbie formula does not always work

For Apple, the film is still not a complete failure. According to Maxim, the trailer Apple showed at San Diego Comic-Con this summer attracted more than four million views in its first 24 hours – so Matchbox is getting attention. Whether that translates into viewers taking out subscriptions is another question. Anyone who already has Apple TV and wants an undemanding evening of action can give it a watch. Anyone hoping for the next clever toy-based film after Barbie is unlikely to find it here.