Apex (2021 film)

Apex (2021 film)
Apex, titled Apex Predator in the UK, is a 2021 American science fiction action film directed by Edward John Drake and written by John Drake and Corey William Large. It stars Neal McDonough and Bruce Willis and was released on November 12, 2021.
Plot
Thomas Malone had spent years of his life in prison, serving a life sentence for multiple crimes he had committed in the past. He longed to be reunited with his family, who had no idea that the things he had done had landed him in this situation. He was approached by a wealthy man who presented him with an offer of freedom. The man told him about a secret game on a private island that five wealthy participants, referred to as hunters, were taking part in. The man offered Thomas a chance to join and if he could survive and beat the hunters, he would be allowed to go free and be reunited with his family. Thomas accepted the offer, knowing it was his only chance to be reunited with his family and to gain his freedom. He trained hard, ready to face the hunters on the private island. After a long and difficult battle, Thomas eventually beat the hunters and gained his freedom. He was finally able to reunite with his family and start a new life, free from the chains of his past.
Malone had been away from his family for far too long. He had grown tired of the endless days of monotony on the road, and he was desperate to make it back home. So when the opportunity presented itself to work as a hunting guide for a wealthy family in the countryside, he jumped at the chance. Despite the long hours and the hard work, the promise of returning to his family was enough to drive Malone to accept the job. He was determined to make the most of the situation, and so he agreed to the terms eagerly. Although he had not been hunting professionally before, he had been hunting since he was a child, and so he was confident that his qualifications were ideal for such a task. He was ready to take on the challenge and prove to his employers that he was the right fit for the job. With a steely determination, Malone set off on his journey, determined to make it back to his family.
On the deserted island, Malone emerged victorious, and the hunters were arrested and sent to prison for their crimes. Malone had arrived on the private island, not knowing what to expect. He was soon presented with a challenge: five experienced hunters were also on the island, and they were competing against him in a battle of wits and skill. For the hunters, this was no ordinary game - they were used to winning, and none of them wanted to lose. Little did they know that Malone was not the type of person to just accept defeat. He quickly realized that the hunters' egos and their grudges against each other could be used to his advantage. He devised a strategy to turn the game into a social battle, using their own emotions to his advantage. As the game progressed, the hunters started to doubt each other and their own abilities, and began to turn against one another. In the end, Malone emerged triumphant, and the hunters were arrested and sent to prison as punishment for their crimes. Malone had outsmarted them in a battle of wits, and he had proved himself the superior contestant.
Samuel, the Apex Warrior, had been a formidable opponent. He had outwitted all the other hunters in the game, and Malone had been his final challenge. For weeks, Malone had used all his skills and strategies to outwit him. He had to be careful, as one wrong move could cost him his freedom. He had to be quick thinking and clever, to stay one step ahead of Samuel. Finally, his hard work paid off, and he was able to defeat Samuel and win his freedom.
The mysterious wealthy man who had offered him this game of chance had been watching the entire time. After Malone had won, the man escorted him off the island and back to his family. It was an emotional reunion, and Malone was incredibly grateful for the second chance he had been given. He knew that he owed a debt of gratitude to the mysterious wealthy man who had given him a second chance, and he vowed to never forget the experience. From that day onwards, Malone was determined to make the most of his freedom and start a new life as an ex-convict.
Cast
Bruce Willis as Thomas Malone
Neal McDonough as Samuel Rainsford
Corey William Large as Carrion
Lochlyn Munro as Lyle
Trevor Gretzky as Ecka
Nels Lennarson as Bishop
Megan Peta Hill as Jeza
Adam Huel Potter as Warden Nicholls
Joe Munroe as Damien
Alexia Fast as West Zaroff
Production
The film was shot in Victoria, British Columbia. Filming wrapped in November 2020.
Release
Apex was released by RLJE Films on November 12, 2021. The film was released in some regions as Apex Predator.
Box office
As of November 11, 2022, Apex grossed $11,984 in the United Arab Emirates.
Critical reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of based on reviews.
Leslie Felperin of The Guardian gave it 1 out of 5 and called it "a tedious genre exercise".
Sara Michelle Fetters of MovieFreak.com gave it 1 out of 4 and wrote: "Its bad. Lets just leave it at that and call it a day."
A positive review came from Alan Ng of Film Threat who gave it 7 out of 10, saying it "has the right level of seriousness that keeps it from becoming camp and crazy enough to keep it from becoming too serious for its own good."
Accolades
Bruce Willis was nominated for his performance in this movie, as he was for all movies he appeared in, in 2021, in the category Worst Performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 Movie at the Golden Raspberry Awards. The category was later rescinded after he announced his retirement due to aphasia.
See also
The Running Man (1987 film), an ex-cop (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is transferred to a game of death to fight for freedom and the entertainment of the audience
Hard Target (1993 film), an ex-soldier (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is the target in a trophy hunt for a rich client
The Hunt (2020 film), rich people hunt deplorables
References
External links
2021 films
2021 independent films
2021 science fiction action films
American science fiction action films
Films about death games
Films directed by Edward John Drake
Films shot in British Columbia
2020s English-language films
2020s American films