'The Union' Fails to Unify Critics

         On August 16, 2024, Netflix released 'The Union', which has received a mixed reception from critics, currently holding at 44% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the film, a construction workers joins his ex on a dangerous U.S. intelligence mission. The ensemble cast includes Halle Berry, J.K. Simmons, Mark Wahlberg, and Mike Colter. But what did the critics say?

        Grant Hermanns of Screen Rant writes, "Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry's chemistry is off the charts in The Union, but the rom-com vibes aren't enough to boost Netflix's action movie." Adding, "With The Union, co-writers David Guggenheim (Designated Survivor) and Joe Barton (The Lazarus Project) try to come up with their own system for the titular agency being comprised of former blue-collar workers. While some characters' backstories are left to our imaginations, others are far more bluntly laid out with their agency codenames, including Jackie Earle Haley's Foreman, so named because he used to be one. Rather than feeling like a clever take on the genre, though, it frequently becomes preposterous as the movie goes on."

        Peter Debruge of Variety was less impressed, stating, "A lazy wish-fulfillment fantasy from Netflix’s star-service department, “The Union” is actually the story of a reunion — Mike and Roxanne’s — set against the backdrop of a crisis we’ve seen one too many times in recent spy movies. For Wahlberg, the wish in question is wanting to be James Bond, which will never happen for the Dorchester-born American. And the fantasy is getting to play the next best thing, recruited by former Bond girl Halle Berry (sporting her weirdest haircut since “Swordfish,” an anime-style pixie cut, shaved on one side, spiky and blond-tipped on top)."

        Jason Flatt of But Why Tho? A Geek Community says, "The movie is so fine. Most impressive is that it isn’t outright bad, given Netflix’s recent track record. There’s nothing offensive about it. The characters don’t have chemistry necessarily, but they at least seem somewhat interested in being there. Wahlberg and Berry do anyway. J.K. Simmons and Mike Colter: Maybe a bit less so. The Union has a very clear target audience: middle-aged men who like action movies and think with a few weeks of training, they could probably be in one, too." Continuing, "And that’s certainly what The Union delivers. The action is mild, the dialogue is poor but filled with countless dad jokes per mile, and the male characters themselves are as disheveled and “regular” as possible. Meanwhile, all the women are bombshells with all of the tact and guile in the world. What middle-aged man wouldn’t be glad to see Halle Berry back on the screen as a no-nonsense love interest for the first time in a while? And again, fortunately, The Union doesn’t play any of these cards offensively. Its tropes are all matter-of-fact, not exploitative. While the movie is far from interesting or exciting, it’s neither dull nor appalling, either."

       Michael Clark of Epoch Times praises the film, stating, "Every penny (the exact amount unknown) Netflix sunk into it was money well spent. It’s a spectacular visual and narrative feast on every level. I’m surprised Netflix didn’t release it in theaters exclusively for a couple of weeks prior to streaming."

Photo by John Jackson on Unsplash