Triple Frontier’s star-riddled cast manages to barely drag the drama across the satisfactory line.

Netflix’s Triple Frontier tells the story of a team of former Special Forces operatives who reunite to plan a heist that will ultimately put their morals, their skills, and their friendships to the test.

At best, the story is fine, but there have definitely been previous films that have done it better than Triple Frontier. The beginning is what mostly kills the desire to watch the film. That can be said about most films, but most films usually have something to offer before the 20-minute mark. There isn’t really any excitement or thrill until the characters are actually executing the heist. From then on out, it is actually entertaining to watch.

With a cast filled with talented actors including Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund, and Pedro Pascal, it’s hard to not enjoy the heartfelt and raw performances that are shown in Triple Frontier. Each actor brings in something refreshing and exhilarating into the characters that they play. For instance, Affleck’s character, Tom ‘Redfly’ Davis, has problems being back into the real world after being forced to retire from the military. Affleck showcases an outstanding dramatic performance that enhances the character’s dedication to the mission, even if it mean’t his character putting the team in harm’s way. The other cast members put on an admirable performance as well, especially Hunnam.

Besides the stellar cast, the one thing that certainly helps Triple Frontier is the beautiful cinematography. There are dozens of gorgeous shots in the film. From seeing vast jungles, ruling mountains, and valleys, there is so much happening in the background of Triple Frontier. There is just something aesthetically pleasing about rain and thunder to most people, and the film uses that to its advantage by having the camera follow characters through the pouring rain in the jungle. One of my favorite shots is when Pascal’s character, Francisco ‘Catfish’ Morales, is in full view of the camera looking down upon a drug cartel member. As the camera stays on Morales, he quickly executes the cartel member. While this is happening, you see the flash from the gun going off in Morales’s eyes. You don’t really see that much detail in films nowadays, so you can really appreciate Triple Frontier for doing just that.   

The action also follows in sync with the cinematography. Once the action starts, it keeps rolling on from there. It is well-paced and accomplishes the desperate need for a thrill. The scenes that involve gunfire are a prime example of how action should be handled in films of similar nature. Overall, Netflix’s Triple Frontier is a decent watch to pass the time. This is mainly thanks to the talented cast, the cinematography, and the action. You just have to get past the dull beginning that the story puts you through first.