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The Review Geek
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Review Geek
K.O. (2025) Movie Review – A sleeper hit for Netflix?
A sleeper hit for Netflix? Another week rolls around and, of course, another Netflix action thriller hits the platform. Like a well-oiled machine, the streaming giant doesn't look like it's about to stop pumping out these hits any time soon. There are already plenty of options in this field, with bigger-name titles like The Old Guard, The Gray Man, and Extraction mixed in with under-rated hits like Burn Out and Badland Hunters. Trying to stand out is not easy. That unenviable task falls to French director Antoine Blossier. For the most part, K.O. is quite happy to revel in its mediocrity—offering little in the way of originality, but playing things competently enough across its 85-minute runtime to make for an enjoyable watch all the same. The premise of K.O. clings to all the usual tropes you'd expect from a flick like this, jumping straight into the action. Here, we follow aspiring MMA fighter Bastien, who finds himself in the ring with his bitter rival, Enzo. The pair go toe-to-toe in a relentless and pretty brutal sequence that immediately sets the tone and mood for the rest of the movie. Bastien's fight ends in tragedy when he counters a triangle hold into a full-on slam to the mat. Enzo's head crunches against the canvas, and unfortunately, he passes away as a result. Guilt-stricken, Bastien hangs up his gloves and disappears into exile. Fast-forward two years, and our reclusive hero is called back into action by Enzo's widowed wife, Emma. Her son, Leo, has gone missing after getting mixed up in the drug trade, and it seems he may be the target of some particularly nasty gangsters. With a bullseye on his back, Leo is in big trouble—and Bastien feels a moral obligation to do right by Emma. Bastien is thrown into the investigation alongside a detective named Alaoui, and together they work to find Leo and stop the gang before it's too late. It's all rather simple stuff. The first half of the movie follows a standard formula of investigative groundwork to establish the stakes. Of course, we also get some action scenes thrown in for good measure—including a particularly impressive nightclub fight (which seems to be a staple of action movies recently, for some reason) and a tense chase across an apartment complex. Like clockwork, the midpoint of the film tightens the screws, with Bastien and Alaoui's backstories explored while the search for Leo closes in, leading to a climactic fight at the police station. K.O.'s story is very by-the-numbers, and there's really not a whole lot to write home about here. You'll see most of the big plot beats coming a mile off. The action is gritty and visceral enough to keep you watching, but even when twists arrive, they lean into genre clichés too heavily to really land. The characters are archetypal almost to a fault, with both Alaoui and Bastien following straightforward arcs but lacking in original personality. Bastien is your typical 'tortured hero looking to make amends,' while Alaoui is the 'tortured hero looking to get vengeance.' There's certainly potential for a tighter bond between Leo and Bastien in the midst of all this, and perhaps leaning heavier into a guardian/protector dynamic could have given the story some much-needed emotional energy. However, K.O. never really seems all that interested in going down that route. It's a shame, because with a runtime of under 90 minutes, even an extra 10 minutes to develop this relationship would have helped. The saving grace of the film, beyond its perfunctory story and underwhelming character writing, comes from the action. The camerawork and general choreography are solid, and there are natural pauses in the combat where the fighters catch their breath. It's a detail we've seen in titles like John Wick, and it adds a welcome layer of realism that works well for this genre. Although it does offer some well-executed action, it's not enough to make K.O. a knock-out hit. Instead, this one feels more like a 10-round pummelling session—landing a few clean strikes but ultimately feeling ineffective when the final bell sounds.
Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Netflix just added a new action thriller movie featuring some brutal brawls — and it'll get your pulse racing
Netflix is home to an impressive array of action thrillers already, but action fans might have spotted that the streaming service has just dropped a brand-new release designed to get your blood pumping. As of today (June 6), Netflix is now home to a new French action thriller from director Antoine Blossier. Introducing: "K.O.," a new Netflix original that takes us to the streets of Marseille alongside a hulking MMA fighter who's come out of retirement to earn a shot at redemption. Wondering whether the streamer's newest arrival is worth your time? Well, you can find a little bit more info about "K.O." (and my initial reaction after streaming the new release) below, which should help you decide whether to stream "K.O." on Netflix or not. Antoine Blossier's "K.O." sees former MMA fighter Bastien (Ciryl Gane) being tasked with searching for a missing boy. Bastien accidentally killed one of his opponents, Enzo, in the ring. He's been a recluse ever since, though three years on from that fateful match, Enzo's widow, Emma (Anne Azoulay), tracks Bastien down and implores him to help find her teen son, Léo (Maleaume Paquin), an informant who's gone missing after witnessing a murder. Bastien sets off to do just that. En route, he joins forces with police chief Kenza (Alice Belaïdi), a woman determined to find justice after Marseilles' most violent criminals murdered her own brother. In addition to Gane, Azoulay, Paquin and Belaïdi, "K.O." also stars Foued Nabba, Samuel Jouy, Virgile Bramly and Malone Ettori. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. "K.O." is a solid addition to Netflix's roster of action movies. Having checked it out myself, I don't think Netflix's new arrival is about to become anyone's all-time favorite watch, but it has enough fun up its sleeves that should satisfy action-starved viewers. Going in, I wasn't aware that Gane was a real-life MMA fighter, but that physicality is on display here. When the fists are flying, "K.O." packs in some decent thrills, and it has some surprisingly grim moments packed in courtesy of the villains. Action-wise, it might feel a little light; "John Wick," this ain't, and the story isn't anything to write home about (it's simple gangster fodder, and only exists to string the setpieces together), but the stuff we've all come to see is sufficiently exciting (especially the big clash that closes the final act). In other words, "K.O." should make for a disposable, tight 90-minute watch for anyone on the hunt for a quick dose of adrenaline this weekend (though if it's big-screen action you want, make sure you go see "Ballerina" soon, too). Need a second opinion before committing to add "K.O." to your Netflix watchlist? Well, seeing as the movie's only just hit our screens, "K.O." doesn't have a Rotten Tomatoes score to shout about at the time of writing (one may come later down the line). However, there are a couple of reactions to the movie online already. Ready Steady Cut's Jonathon Wilson says there's "only one point of a movie like this" (the action) and likens "K.O." to "Ad Vitam" and Exterritorial", describing them collectively as "barebones movies with serviceable set-pieces." Not quite sold on streaming "K.O." on Netflix? We can still help you find your next Netflix watch. Check out our guides to the best Netflix action movies and overall round-up of the best movies on Netflix for tons more streaming recommendations.
