Review: Matchbox the Movie

Transformers. Barbie. Battleship. Playmobil. There are a number of productions, and the latest addition to the toy-movie genre is Matchbox. You know the ones. Small metal cars. They arrived in the early fifties and are something of a thing for collectors. It feels a bit comical in itself to see a film where Mattel Films is one of the studios responsible. I remember laughing out loud when, sometime after the first Transformers film, plans to adapt Monopoly were discussed. There were even rumors that Ridley Scott would be behind it. In hindsight, it is of course no stranger than Greta Gerwig directing a pink-hued film about dolls with skewed body ideals. Or making a film based on small toy cars. I had planned to skip this movie, because the title alone makes me cringe a bit. But I happen to like John Cena. And the director has, after all, released a couple of good films. So I gave it a chance with extremely low, barely existing expectations.

Matchbox the Movie is an action-packed adventure that spans the globe and follows a group of childhood friends whose lives are turned upside down when the secret CIA agent Sean, their long-absent former leader, returns to their hometown and unintentionally pulls them into a hectic international hunt to save the world. There you have the plot in all its simplicity, and it sounds, for better or worse, like a fairly typical action-comedy, doesn’t it? And it must be said that the toy cars are a very small part of the adventure. Furthermore, I must honestly say I’m a bit questioning of the logic behind kids just under their teens gathering to play with Matchbox cars almost as if it were a role-playing game. But who am I to judge? I sat there building Lego (another franchise that has really made an impression as a film, series, and video game, by the way) while listening to Mike Oldfield.

Sam Hargrave is the director. He is a stuntman and stunt coordinator who has worked on films like Wolverine and Avengers. As a director, in addition to a number of short films, he is responsible for the action hit Extraction and the sequel (and a third is apparently in the works) with Chris Hemsworth. Really entertaining movies. And this is once again one of the reasons I chose to spend time on Matchbox. I know Hargrave can deliver action. And it doesn’t hurt that they’ve gathered a number of actors who are worth watching. There is chemistry and comic timing between the childhood friends that works really well. John Cena is an actor who has grown significantly in my eyes. From feeling like a big, clumsy refrigerator, he has shown himself capable of delivering emotions, both serious and comedic. By his side here, he has Jessica Biel (Total Recall, The Illusionist), Arturo Castro (Tron: Ares, Roadhouse), Sam Richardson (The Afterparty, Veep), Teyonah Parris (Dear White People), Danai Gurira (Walking Dead), Corey Stoll (House of Cards), Golshifteh Farahani (Invasion) among others. A really fine cast.

And the movie itself? The plot is, as mentioned, relatively simple, but that doesn’t matter at all. It’s full speed from start to finish. It offers plenty of enjoyable and sleek action. It is well-made, high-budget, and surprisingly entertaining. Much of the strength lies, as stated, in the chemistry between the childhood friends who are forced into Sean’s secret, dangerous world. It might not be funny to the point where you’re laughing out loud, but I’m having fun—and it’s not packed with a lot of silly humor that falls flat. On the contrary, it feels quite pleasant. And familiar, since you know roughly what to expect from this type of action movie. And it’s delivered at a level that is significantly higher than I would have thought.

In summary, then. It’s not at all as soulless as expected. I almost get a bit nostalgic, because at times this feels like one of those action matinees I would have loved as a child. It’s fast-paced and lighthearted, but also predictable. But that doesn’t always have to be a negative. Sure, it’s generic, a bit too long, and easily forgotten afterward, but not so generic that it becomes boring. It actually feels as if the director had at least some of his heart in the production. Who knows, maybe he was one of those kids who sat playing with Matchbox as a child? As lazy Sunday entertainment, it’s a great movie.