CRIME DRAMA. “Ride or Die.” / “The Hunt.” / “I Will Find You.”

“Ride or Die” (Amazon Prime) action adventure comedy. Two friends have to go on the run from a mysterious enemy. One of them is secretly a highly trained assassin. Stars Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham.

       The plot is tired and drained (although the scriptwriting is effectively fluid) but obviously that's not the allure of this women-fronted series (the antagonist is also a woman). The attraction is the jumpy chemistry between Hannah Waddingham's elite assassin Judith, and Octavia Spencer's Debbie, an American wife of a member of the British Parliament. Plus the action is kickass, courtesy of Hannah. 🎥💻📽

“The Hunt” (Apple TV+) French action thriller. After a hunting trip turns into a deadly shootout, four friends who choose to stay silent find themselves targeted for revenge.

       The series had some issues before airing due to claims that its story was plagiarized from the 1973 novel “Shoot” by Douglas Fairbairn, which also was the basis for the 1976 feature film of the same name. Makes sense, actually. I saw the movie, starring Cliff Robertson and Ernest Borgnine, when I was in college. Hence, Mr Fairbairn was given due credit for this French version. 

       “The Hunt” offers a kneading dramatic tension that builds, which is no different from the original movie. Hard to compare though Benoît Magimel's Franck and Mr Robertson's Rex. They have contrasting acting styles, both restrained, but are still effective. 

       Despite the stereotypical bad guys, this movie doesn't really dwell on the protagonist/antagonist equation. Yet the overlying message is clear. The danger of mishandled firearms. Yet other sub-plotpoints are tackled. 🎥💻📽

“I Will Find You” (Netflix) crime drama, adapted from the 2023 novel of the same name by Harlan Coben. A man wrongly imprisoned for the murder of his son receives information that his son may still be alive. 

       Another entertaining Harlan Coben thriller. Not outstanding, this series banks on a sterling ensemble performance to keep us glued in the living room. The plot seemed a bit confusing or convoluted at first but it all went well eventually.🎥💻📽