A forgotten thriller starring The Boys star Laz Alonso has fought its way to second place in the film charts on Netflix. When it was released in theaters, however, most critics gave it a failing grade.
The Netflix charts are always good for a revival. Many a critical flop experiences a second spring there thanks to fan approval. This is the case now: The thriller Traffik with Laz Alonso (Mother’s Milk in The Boys) surprisingly takes second place in the film top 10. The home invasion story seems to appeal to many.
Netflix hit with The Boys star got bad reviews: “Steaming pile of horse manure ”
Traffik revolves around journalist Brea (Paula Patton) and her boyfriend John (Omar Epps), who want to spend a few quiet days in a Californian country house. At a gas station, they clash with a group of bikers who seem to have a young woman (Dawn Olivieri) in their grip. The relaxed vacation quickly turns into a fight for survival
Watch the English trailer for Traffik here:
Traffik has a lot of potential at first glance: a romantic beginning that quickly turns into a gripping home invasion thriller. A number of well-known stars appear, including William Fichtner (The Dark Knight) in addition to those mentioned above. However, the film was not very well received by critics, as Metacritic shows with a critics’ average of 37/100. “A steaming pile of exploitative horse manure” is what RogerEbert.com calls the thriller.
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The Hollywood Reporter at least praises Patton’s performance and the camerawork by Dante Spinotti (Ant-Man and the Wasp). Nevertheless, he considers the story predictable and the production morally questionable. Whether Traffik deserves the renewed attention on Netflix is ultimately up to the streaming audience to decide for themselves.
