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Netflix's #1 movie is a new actioner starring Jackie Chan and John Cena – but it was filmed five years ago

News
By Emily Garbutt published 31 July 2023

Hidden Strike is topping the streamer's charts

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John Cena and Jackie Chan in Hidden Strike
(Image credit: Netflix)
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A new action-comedy is topping the charts on Netflix: Hidden Strike, starring John Cena and Jackie Chan, is currently the number one movie on the streamer. 

Chan stars as a Chinese military man turned private security contractor who's sent to the Middle East to rescue workers from a Chinese-run oil refinery under attack, while Cena is a former US marine who's enlisted to help. A lot of Netflix subscribers are enjoying the movie, taking to Twitter to share their thoughts.

"I really missed Jackie Chan movie combos with American actors. Really great," said one Twitter user, while another praised his chemistry with Cena: "[John Cena] is an absolute legend and this movie made me love him more! The chemistry between these two legends was great and the movie was awesome." 

"A fantastic action movie. It has that Mad Max feel to it," was another user's verdict. "Great seeing Jackie still doing funny fight choreography," wrote another viewer, while someone else tweeted: "Hidden Strike is a 10/10 movie. It'll have you glued from the beginning to the end. No "unnecessary" plot twist, it's a proper action movie."

However, some people aren't as convinced. "Easily the worst #JackieChan movie, hands down. Bad action sequences, worst possible screenplay and the bad preschool humor... John Cena and Jackie could've sat out for this one," said one viewer, while others were more mixed: "Do you enjoy mindless action star vehicles? Then may I recommend Hidden Strike, which, as a movie, is ridiculous. But as an excuse to see Jackie Chan and John Cena buddy action it up – featuring an Epic Fight In Bubbles AND a jet truck AND a blooper reel, it’s what you need." 

Hidden Strike has had a long journey to our screens – the movie was first announced in 2017 and filmed way back in 2018. It was initially set for a theatrical release, running through several titles like Project X-Traction and SNAFU before settling on Hidden Strike. The project was entirely Chinese-funded and filmed in China with local crews – albeit with an American director at the helm (Need for Speed and The Expendables 4's Scott Waugh) – so plans for a domestic theatrical run were scuppered when Chinese cinemas closed down in January 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Plus, Cena referred to Taiwan as a country while promoting F9 to Taiwanese press in 2021. Despite issuing an apology, many Chinese people were not impressed with Cena's comment, and this may have impacted the studio's decision to release the movie.

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Hidden Strike is streaming now on Netflix. For more viewing inspiration, check out our picks of the other best Netflix action movies to add to your watch list. 

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Emily Garbutt
Emily Garbutt
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Entertainment Writer

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related. I help bring you all the latest news, features, and reviews, as well as helming our Big Screen Spotlight column. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.

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