If you've already watched all the decent action movies on Netflix but still hunger for more, the latest German flick Exterritorial could serve as a temporary solution -- though probably not much more than that.
There are quite a few things that just don't sit right in this film, which, for a variety of reasons, may mostly appeal to male viewers with time to kill. On the surface, Exterritorial promises a high-stakes thriller filled with fast-paced action and a high-concept premise, but unfortunately, the execution is shaky and the internal logic often collapses under scrutiny.
If you're curious about what kind of ride you're in for, to put it simply, this is one of those "badass girl boss" movies where the lead can seemingly do no wrong. It comes across as a hybrid of Taken (2008) and Die Hard (1988), albeit without the polish or narrative finesse of either.
The story follows Sara Wulf (Jeanne Goursaud), a former Special Forces operative with a shadowy past. While visiting the US consulate in Frankfurt, her young son suddenly vanishes without a trace. What's more disturbing is that no one inside the consulate even remembers seeing him enter. Sara is asked to leave but knowing that German authorities have no jurisdiction on US diplomatic soil, she realises that stepping outside may mean never seeing her son again. Desperate, she plunges deeper into the bowels of the building, only to discover that the walls around her are closing in -- both literally and metaphorically -- as a sinister conspiracy begins to unfold.
Gaslighting is one of the film's dominant themes. While not subtle, it effectively introduces just enough doubt to make the audience question Sara's perception of events. We see fragmented flashbacks, questionable present-day actions and sporadic bits of information that cast shadows on Sara's mental state. Is she suffering a breakdown? Are her memories unreliable? Or is something darker at play? The film does a commendable job at building this psychological tension, even if it occasionally hammers the point a bit too hard.
The treatment of Sara's PTSD is surprisingly well-managed -- it's not overused for emotional manipulation but is developed enough to serve the unreliable narrator angle. Still, you'll need to suspend an extraordinary amount of disbelief to stay engaged with the plot. As Sara tears through the consulate in search of her son, she somehow transforms into an invisible action hero, slipping through corridors, climbing over rooftops and dodging cameras and security systems as if she were starring in a video game stealth mission. Oddly empty hallways and conveniently placed ladders allow her to move freely through what should be one of the most secure buildings in Germany.
The plot itself is not especially deep or nuanced. It doesn't require a great deal of attention and you won't need to be a genius to piece things together. However, about halfway through, the story tries to up the complexity with layers of misdirection and additional twists. While some of this works to keep viewers guessing, it also makes the film feel like it's losing control of its own narrative. Multiple threads start to unravel or distract from the central storyline.
One subplot involves a mysterious new acquaintance named Lera (Kira Wolkowa), whose own backstory adds another layer of intrigue -- or at least tries to. The mystery surrounding Lera is arguably even more predictable and loosely constructed than Sara's arc. As the plot thickens, many of the details feel rushed or underdeveloped, ultimately forcing the film to lean on a large exposition dump in the final act to explain everything. This robs the ending of its potential impact and makes it feel more like a clean-up operation than a satisfying resolution.
With a runtime of one hour and forty-nine minutes, Exterritorial does eventually start to drag. While there's no egregious filler, the pacing becomes uneven in the second half. Despite a handful of exciting action set pieces, the lulls in between fail to build sufficient tension and instead just feel like downtime. The movie isn't bloated, but it doesn't flow as tightly as a thriller of this type should.
In the end, Exterritorial is a watchable movie -- but only just. It's the kind of film you might turn to when there's nothing else that catches your eye on Netflix.
- Exterritorial
- Starring Jeanne Goursaud, Dougray Scott, Lera Abova
- Directed by Christian Zübert
- Now streaming on Netflix
