Remember when the release of a Sylvester Stallone action movie felt like an event rather than an algorithm?  Directed by Michael Polish, Alarum arrives as a stark reminder of how far we’ve fallen from the genre’s golden age despite having one of its icons among its cast.  Starring Scott Eastwood, Willa Fitzgerald, and Stallone, the wintry espionage thriller promises intrigue and explosive action with a dash of emotional depth as the glue that holds it all together. Unfortunately, while it marginally delivers on some of these fronts, it falls short of its potential, quickly succumbing to the familiar pitfalls of streaming-era action cinema.

In a plot eerily similar to another film released this week, Eastwood (Wrath of Man) and Fitzgerald (Strange Darling) are Joe and Lara, married spies who had exited their deadly profession years earlier and whose attempt at a quiet retreat shatters when their past catches up with them. With old enemies arriving and their former agency suspecting them of joining a rogue spy organization known as ALARUM (doesn’t that sound like someone half asleep telling Siri to turn off the alarm?), their peaceful winter resort becomes a battleground, forcing them to confront their secrets and each other.

Though his performances always feel more like an impression of his famous father, Eastwood has nearly nailed the brooding intensity that runs in his bloodline.  However, he hasn’t fully mastered the charismatic complexity factor required to be the grounding force of a film. On the other hand, Fitzgerald is a surprise asset, delivering an energized portrayal hinting that with each film she is inching closer to the breakout role she deserves. 

Playing a grizzled operative brought in by D.W. Moffett’s (May December) office bound puppet master, Stallone’s decades of experience in the genre shine through, lending heft to a thinly written character. His  weathered presence manages to elevate the material, and he appears more engaged than usual, even as the script and direction struggle to keep pace.  

Director Michael Polish, known for his ethereal indie work with his twin brother Mark, like Twin Falls Idaho, seems constrained in his artistic intentions by the demands of the action genre. While there are flashes of Polish’s distinctive visual style—lingering shots of the snow-covered landscape, quiet moments of introspection by one of the three leads (or was Stallone just out of words that day?)—these are drowned out by the formulaic plotting with its uninspired twists and turns.  Action sequences hit their technical marks without innovation, competently staged but lacking the creative spark distinguishing memorable set pieces from forgettable ones.

The film’s fractured narrative splits its leads into separate storylines, a choice that sacrifices tension and cohesion. What could have been an interesting exploration of trust and loyalty between partners devolves into two lesser storylines competing for attention. Fitzgerald largely is left to fly solo while Eastwood and Stallone (man, can you imagine THAT combo back in the day?) form an interesting action triangle with Mike Colter‘s overly styilized bad guy.  Colter is a good actor but has given his mercenary a little too much flair, weighing down what could have been a more mysterious figure.  The script gestures toward themes of betrayal and redemption but never develops them beyond the surface level, leaving potentially rich character dynamics unexplored.

For viewers nostalgic for the era when action films balanced character development with explosive spectacle, Alarum serves as a reminder that technical proficiency alone doesn’t create cinema worth remembering.  Clunky dialogue, an overreliance on spy clichés, and a lack of narrative urgency undermine most of its attempts to rise above its flaws.  While not without merit – particularly in Fitzgerald’s performance and Polish’s rare visual touches – it exemplifies the current state of mid-budget action movies: professional but passionless, competent but forgettable.  Ultimately, Alarum is destined to join the growing ranks of action films designed to fill streaming queues rather than leave lasting impressions.