Interceptor
By Jennifer Green,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Graphic violence, language in female-driven actioner.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Interceptor
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
Capt. JJ Collins (Elsa Pataky) has just been reposted to a nuclear missile INTERCEPTOR base in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It's clear that she's disappointed with the post, which seems to represent a demotion due to a highly publicized case she was involved in. Her first day back on the rig starts off with an emergency: The only other U.S. base able to intercept nuclear missiles from Russia has been taken over by terrorists, who've also stolen a handful of missiles in Russia. Soon Collins learns that almost everyone on the rig has been killed by a villainous crew led by Alexander Kessel (Luke Bracey), and it's up to her and her last-standing colleague, Shah (Mayen Mehta), to defend the command center and prevent nuclear weapons from dropping on cities across the United States.
Is It Any Good?
This suspenseful action film gets bogged down by some convoluted character motives, but the formula works, and Pataky is credible as a Die Hard-style hero. Interceptor should serve as a calling card for Spain-born Pataky, of Fast & Furious fame, who's been circling Hollywood leading lady roles for decades. The movie is strongest on the action front, with a perfectly claustrophobic mid-sea setting and well-choreographed fights. There are also memorable moments confirming villain Kessel's instability, like when he draws a sad face with his finger in fresh blood. Other characters, like Shah and Beaver (Aaron Glenane), feel more like simplistic representations of ideas -- e.g., Beaver's screen saver of a blond woman with a machine gun in front of an American flag. (And an uncredited role by Pataky's real-life husband, Chris Hemsworth, could have been worked into the storyline to make it less conspicuously gratuitous.)
This clearly shows how the script is trying but struggling to go deep. Lots of big ideas are thrown around in this Australian co-production about capitalism, American exceptionalism, immigration, the American dream, and more. But none of them really explain the terrorists' motives and why they're fine with nuking 12 different densely populated metropolitan areas. Instead, they come off sounding a bit like a first-year college student who's just discovered that he disagrees with his parents' worldview.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Interceptor. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Some characters critique U.S. values. What examples can you think of?
How does Capt. Collins demonstrate courage and perseverance? How do these characteristics help her in moments of crisis?
Talk about what Collins goes through in regards to the sexual harassment case in Interceptor. How accurate do you think this is to real-life situations? Where could you go for more information?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: June 3, 2022
- Cast: Elsa Pataky, Luke Bracey, Mayen Mehta
- Director: Matthew Reilly
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Character Strengths: Courage, Perseverance
- Run time: 98 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate