Apex: Fails to summit

Apex (2026) • View trailerTwo stars (out of five); rated R, for strong violence, grisly images, nudity and profanityAvailable via: NetflixBy Derrick BangRichard Connell has a lot to answer for. Variations of his iconic 1924 Colliers magazine short story, “The Most Dangerous Game,” have littered television and movie screens ever since the first official Hollywood adaptation in 1932, which featured Joel McCrea, Leslie Banks and Fay Wray. Ben (Taron Egerton) cheerfully shows Sasha (Charlize Theron) the best way to beginher kayaking journey, offering two possible starting points on her map.Director Baltasar Kormákur’s newest spin offers little, aside from 50-year-old Charlize Theron’s undeniably impressive physical prowess. Jeremy Robbins’ script begins reasonably well, but then turns gruesomely tasteless and grisly in the second act, and spins off into Cloud Cuckoo Land during the ludicrous climax.We meet Sasha (Theron) and longtime companion Tommy (Eric Bana) toward the end of their…