Cleaner Review: Daisy Ridley Stars in Half-Hearted Die Hard Knockoff

by

In 1988, John McClane saved the Nakatomi Plaza skyscraper from 12 terrorists on Christmas Eve in the classic action movie Die Hard. Since then, we’ve gotten tons of movies about heroes saving places from bad guys. We’ve gotten Die Hard on a bus (Speed), Die Hard on a plane (Air Force One), Die Hard on a boat (Under Siege), Die Hard in the White House (Olympus Has Fallen), and more. But this new action movie, Cleaner, dares to do the unthinkable: Die Hard in a skyscraper.

It’s generally not a positive thing when almost every critique of your film mentions another movie as a comparison. In fact, it has become so common that journalists have raised the topic with the film’s lead actress, Daisy Ridley. During a screening I attended which included a Q&A with Ridley, the moderator even wore a Die Hard t-shirt during the interview, hinting at the movie’s similarities. If this doesn’t make it clear how much this film resembles other movies, I’m not sure what will. Even films that follow the “Die Hard formula” have managed to offer unique twists and still be good on their own (like Speed). Unfortunately, Cleaner fails to do either. Instead, it’s a dull imitation of movies we’ve seen before.

Although it might appear stern, I find it hard to support a movie that feels overly familiar in its plot, even with the aim of delivering enjoyable action. That said, I must acknowledge the effort put into developing the characters. The protagonist, Joey (played by Ridley), has an intriguing backstory involving an abusive father and caring for her autistic brother Michael (Matthew Tuck). The initial portion of the film is dedicated to building these characters and their bond, as well as showcasing Joey’s character traits like self-assertion.

In a similar vein to the latest Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson film, Die Hard-esque movie titled Cleaner, explores your acrophobia (fear of heights) effectively. The protagonist, Joey, works as a window cleaner at a skyscraper, a job that might make many shudder. While on duty one day, a group of ne’er-do-wells gatecrash a party and the scene is reminiscent of another movie where a character finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time as bad guys seize control of a building and hold the guests hostage. Cleaner, unfortunately, falls into the category of overly familiar films of late.

Similar to John McClane, Joey finds herself spending a significant portion of the story searching for assistance since she knows someone she cares about is confined within the building with their captors. However, it’s important to note that unlike John, who is usually inside the building, Joey spends almost the entire film perched on a scaffolding platform outside the structure. The trailer might have led you to believe that Joey would spend much of the film battling bad guys within the building, but in reality, most of the action takes place during the climax. In this movie, we mostly see Joey waiting outside the building.

Initially, this plot twist may appear acceptable on a surface level. It confines our heroine, ensuring she’s stuck with no means of escape, which sets it apart from Die Hard. However, this shift introduces problems. Our character Joey encounters physical peril while on the platform, but she remains largely protected from the villains. To add to the issue, although Michael is supposedly in danger being trapped within the building, it’s not comparable to when John McClane’s wife, Holly, was held captive by Hans Gruber. Michael seldom interacts with the antagonists. These elements diminish the sense of urgency and immediacy between the protagonist and the adversaries.

In essence, while Cleaner shares many similarities with Die Hard, such as an outdoor-focused setting, a deceptive helicopter scene, a dead body, numerous explosives, and a protagonist who communicates with the police and maintains their trust, it also features a unique twist: the villains are climate change activists. Although this angle attempts to humanize the antagonists, some viewers might find their lengthy speeches about environmental issues repetitive or preachy.

The main problem with Joey being stuck on that scaffolding for most of the second act is that she seems more like an observer than a protagonist driving the story forward. John McClane in Die Hard is captivating because he’s the obstacle, the complication, and the thorn in the antagonists’ side; he actively foils their plans. However, Joey doesn’t significantly impact the villains’ scheme until the final act, when the movie starts to improve, albeit still feeling somewhat predictable.

Director Martin Campbell is known for creating standout films such as GoldenEye, The Mask of Zorro, and Casino Royale. Nevertheless, his more recent productions like Memory and Dirty Angels have fallen short, and Cleaner is a rather unoriginal action film lacking impact. The most compelling aspect of this movie lies in the deep emotional bond between Joey and Michael, as well as Joey’s determination to stand by her brother after having left him behind in her youth. Ridley delivers an impressive performance, but unfortunately, Cleaner tarnishes her string of critically acclaimed movies following Star Wars, including Sometimes I Think About Dying, Young Woman and the Sea, and Magpie. Tuck also offers a strong performance.

However, Cleaner seems overly similar to previous works, making it less appealing. Watching any of the Die Hard series at home would offer a more rewarding experience compared to going to watch this film.

SCORE: 4/10

According to ComingSoon’s review policy, a score of 4 signifies “Poor.” In other words, the drawbacks overshadow the good points, making it challenging to finish.

Read More

2025-02-21 01:40