'Apex' Review: Wolf Creek Reimagined as a Nasty Vertigo-induced Nightmare
- May 1
- 3 min read
By Shauna Bushe - May 1, 2026
In the unforgiving Australian outback, Taron Egerton provides the spark of madness, but Charlize Theron brings the raw muscle. Together, they flip the food chain on its head, dismantling the natural order in a high-stakes game of hide and seek with the predator meeting his match with is prey.
What is Apex about?
The film opens with a visceral, gut-punching prologue featuring Eric Bana as Tommy, whose death in a climbing accident sets the stage for a beautifully shot exploration of trauma. Charlize Theron stars as Sasha, a widow looking for closure in the forbidden peaks of the Australian wilderness. Her journey for peace is cut short when she encounters Ben (Taron Egerton), a man who puts a terrifyingly literal spin on the phrase "bringing someone home for dinner." What begins as a survival drama quickly mutates into a vertical nightmare where Sasha must navigate a landscape that wants to break her bones while evading a predator who wants to harvest them.
Visually Apex is a feast for the audience. The cinematography captures the Australian outback with a breathtaking sweep that almost makes you forget what you’re watching is a streaming release. The use of practical locations and real-rock climbing techniques adds a tactile grit that CGI simply cannot replicate. This commitment to realism translates into a visceral portrayal of physical endurance; the camera lingers on the bloodied fingertips and "sewing machine legs" of its leads, making the audience feel every ounce of exhaustion as they scale genuine rock faces.
However, the film’s true depth lies in its vertical chess match: a high-stakes psychological pursuit that transforms the climb into a menacing mind game. By blending nauseating cliff-drop visuals with classic hunter-and-hunted tropes, the narrative forces its characters to navigate a maze of paranoia and fatigue. Here, every ridge and projection becomes a strategic asset in a battle of wills, proving that the mental toll of the ascent is just as treacherous as the thousand-foot drops below. The result is a taut, gorgeous survival thriller that balances technical beauty with a relentless study of human resilience.
While it does nothing to offer anything new, this cat-and-mouse thriller remains a surprisingly upbeat and suspenseful ride, fuelled almost entirely by the shining performances from its leads. Charlize Theron, in particular, dominates the screen. Her dedication to the film's stunt work was so intense it reportedly rattled the director, especially when she insisted on performing her own high-stakes manoeuvres. Furthermore, what truly elevates the film is the authenticity of Theron’s physical performance. Aside from the kayaking, which she couldn’t quite feel comfortable completing, the vast majority of the action is genuinely her. From harsh rock climbs and river plunges to dangling precariously off cliff edges, it is a testament to her status as a seasoned and fearless action icon.
As for Taron Egerton, he once again cements his reputation as a powerhouse of physical strength, matching the film's relentless tempo with incredible intensity. Known more for his razor-sharp comedic timing and effortless leading-man charm, Egerton undergoes a jarring transformation into Ben; a role that sits miles away from his usual wheelhouse. His commitment to the character’s demanding physicality reportedly pushed production to its limits, as he threw himself unreservedly into the film's most demanding sequences. Gone is the suave protagonist; in his place is a predator with sharpened teeth, a crossbow, and a literal hunger for flesh.
In the end, Apex succeeds by stripping away the safety harness of the modern survival thriller. It is a film that understands that nature is indifferent to our grief, and that the monsters we meet in the wilderness are often just mirrors of our own primal desperation to stay alive. While it occasionally stumbles over its own horror tropes, the sheer technical audacity of its final act cements it as a standout in the 2026 Netflix catalogue. It’s a sweat-inducing climb that leaves you breathless, battered, and above all else thankful to have your feet firmly on level ground. If you’re looking for a film that balances a high-altitude spectacle with a low-down, dirty fight for survival, Apex reaches the summit.
'Apex' is streaming now on Netflix.
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