This bullet-riddled love story includes explosions, shootouts, hand-to-hand combat, and a boat chase, but none of it is exciting.

| Original Score: 2/4 | May 16, 2025

It’s easy enough to write this film off as a generic action flick that does the bare minimum in terms of story... I’m not here to say that’s the wrong assessment, but even with all that in mind, I still liked what we got here.

| Original Score: 6/10 | May 15, 2025

If only Joe Carnahan's mostly generic action thriller can match the go-for-broke third act.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | May 15, 2025

Carnahan’s without his usual playbook and stuck riffing off far more competent special agent actioners, which leaves the result feeling cheap and unserious.

| Original Score: D+ | May 12, 2025

It may not be an unwatchable disaster, but it’s too boring to be anything like dumb fun. You could call lead actors Omar Sy and Kerry Washington miscast, but no one’s enough of a character to even judge their proper performances.

| Original Score: 3/10 | May 12, 2025

It’s a standard action thriller that doesn't bother to break any molds. The plot takes too many liberties, never properly explaining key elements, and leaves the audience to fill in the gaps.

| Original Score: 2/5 | May 12, 2025

Everything in Shadow Force feels like a mere shadow of elements from better action movies. Nothing is overly incompetent but there’s nothing that feels competent either, resulting in an action movie that feels perfunctory.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | May 12, 2025

f there is a sequel, just let it focus on Randolph. If an Oscar award winning actor is going to be in a mid-action movie, let her be the star!

| May 12, 2025

A low-brow, cliched, action pic.

| Original Score: C | May 12, 2025

It’s already a problem that co-writer/director Joe Carnahan’s Shadow Force can’t escape its overdone, generic trappings, but there is also a persistent air of confusion around what tone the filmmakers were going for

| Original Score: 2/5 | May 10, 2025

An uninspired, convoluted and bland action thriller that fails to deliver enough palpable thrills and suspense despite its fine ensemble cast.

| May 10, 2025

The charisma-endowed Washington and Sy do all they can to make the proceedings engrossing but even they are hard-pressed to make it interesting.

| May 10, 2025

If you’ve already seen Thunderbolts* and are looking for a nice escape to the movies for a couple hours, maybe give Shadow Force a try.

| May 10, 2025

That sound you might hear when watching Shadow Force is the groan of disappointment that so many talented stars signed up for this awful action flick about two former mercenaries who drag their adorable 5-year-old son into their mess.

| May 9, 2025

A film that’s pleasant enough to watch yet not one to become overly enthused about.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | May 9, 2025

Carnahan's first miss.

| Original Score: C- | May 9, 2025

Despite a handful of competently staged action sequences to generate some adrenaline, this uninspired espionage thriller is formulaic when the bullets aren’t flying.

| May 9, 2025

Kerry Washington and Omar Sy are charming enough in Shadow Force, but underwhelming writing and limp action makes this the opposite of thrilling.

| Original Score: 4/10 | May 9, 2025

“Shadow Force” may not bring anything spectacular to the action/spy genre, but it’s a decent enough watch if you’re looking for a B-movie with a surprising amount of charm, heart, and humor.

| Original Score: 6/10 | May 9, 2025

Though the cast do their best with the hand they are dealt, the script offers them little to chew on. Have you ever watched a film that seemed to have everything going for it, and then it completely missed the mark? That’s Shadow Force.

| Original Score: 3.5/10 | May 9, 2025