To me, one of the most extraordinary aspects of Netflix is the degree of ease with which it can take a moribund entertainment brand or property, stick at the top of its massive pile of content with all the other newly released shows and movies, and immediately breathe new life into the thing. One glance at the latest list of the top movies on Netflix should make clear how this works — simply focus your attention, for a start, on the action thriller in the #1 spot.
The Losers is a forgotten and somewhat forgettable (depending on who you ask) 2010 film featuring three Marvel stars. And which, at least in my opinion, was better than the middling reviews gave it credit for.
Top movies on Netflix: The Losers
The cast includes Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Chris Evans, and Idris Elba, among others. And Netflix’s official synopsis reads as follows: “After learning that their handler set them up, a group of disavowed CIA operatives bands together to bring down their betrayers.” That’s pretty much all you need to know. The action scenes are standard, but by no means sub-par. The whole thing is perfectly satisfactory entertainment. Okay, maybe elevated much more than it would have been by the inclusion of Saldana. Whose mere presence is almost always the Midas touch for any film, but still.
Take a look at the ranking below. Sure, you could argue it’s the presence of Marvel stars that did this. But what you can’t dispute is that Netflix essentially brought this movie back from the dead and gave it a new life with a snap of the fingers. To wit: The Losers rocketed all the way up the ranking of the top movies on Netflix as soon as it got added to the service.
https://twitter.com/netflxdiaries/status/1422578400250695680
Get in Losers, we’re going streaming
Is this movie going to change your life or represent some kind of paradigm shift in the realm of movie-making? No, of course not. But if, like me, you’re starting to get a bit overwhelmed with the never-ending pile of TV series — each with a multitude of seasons, generally, comprised of one-hour episodes — a movie like this is a much more easy-to-digest entertainment snack.
Matter of fact, I’ve shifted most of my entertainment consumption to movies lately. It’s perfect for someone with a busy schedule. Hour-and-a-half, two hours, and you’re done. Doesn’t need to set your hair on fire. Just entertain me and let me go on my way. The Losers does that as adequately as anything.
