Exterritorial revives the nostalgia of iconic female-led action films and hints at a promising comeback for tough, tenacious women at the forefront of the genre.
Sara Wulf (Jeanne Goursaud) is a former German special forces solider who served in Afghanistan. It was an experience that has left her with crippling PTSD and a son, Joshua (Rickson Guy da Silva), who is the product of a brief love affair with a US soldier who was killed in action.
When Sara’s son vanishes at a US consulate on a visit for a VISA, she vows to find him and unknowingly entangles herself in a dangerous conspiracy.
Goursaud’s performance as Sara is mesmerising in the balance she was able to strike between toughness and vulnerability.
Her athleticism and stamina in the physically grueling stunt scenes is softened by her emotionally jarring portrayal of the terror and isolation that comes with recurring PTSD and losing one’s child.
She brings to life the indomitable mother who will stop at nothing to ensure the safety of her child — a recurring trope in action cinema that in Goursaud finds fresh life without feeling overplayed.
The expected twists and turns, familiar to most action movies, are atoned for by the ingenuity of the camera work.
The fight scenes are immersive and high-intensity, giving Goursaud room to bring authenticity to her character’s background as a former solider.
The camera is intimately involved in the action bringing a level of immediacy into the stunt choreography that has been missing from this genre in recent years.
The conclusion follows the predictable formula of action movies but is sweetened by its vindication of Sara — a vicariously satisfactorily experience for audiences who turn to the genre for love of the underdog trope.
The plot tries to resolve many loopholes in one swoop towards the end which is a precarious balancing act and detracts from the credibility.
Despite this, audiences will enjoy Sara’s calculated revenge given the extent to which she was made to doubt her own judgment as a result of her PTSD.
While Exterritorial doesn’t reinvent the genre, it does reinvigorate it — with heart, grit, and a commanding lead performance. It’s a welcome return to character-driven action thrillers, and one can only hope it’s a sign of more to come.
The movie is available for streaming on Netflix.
