Summary
A dad desperately tries to get to his daughter’s birthday before it’s too late in a predictable but entertaining action film.
The German Netflix action film Sixty Minutes is a serious race against time as mixed martial arts fighter Octavio (Emilio Sakraya) finds himself with just one hour to make it to his daughter’s birthday party. He’s desperate not to lose custody so he abandons a fight to attempt to make it on time, but unfortunately, this leads him to make some dangerous enemies who chase him through Berlin.
It’s not the strongest, most plausible storyline so the hope is that this film is filled with incredible action and intense fight sequences — and it sort of is.
With the runtime being 89 minutes, I think the film could have mirrored this in the title — it would have provided a little edge and a beneficially novel real-time gimmick.
It’s a cat-and-mouse chase, and with the timer on the screen as a countdown, there are times you do feel the pressure. However, it’s cheesy in the way that the timer is noticeably out of sync with real life. Noticing this makes the film hard to believe and engage with.
The conflict isn’t strong enough — Octavio either fights or misses his daughter’s birthday — and it’s a poor way to get the audience invested. It’s hinted he’ll lose custody, and that he’s not been there for 7 years, so why now? Why does he want to be a dad now? Why is the wife able to say this? It’s all very underdeveloped and under-researched.
I think the film wanted to show the pressures of a male father figure, trying to have a career and be a good father — the fears that a man faces, but it’s incredibly weak. There is one section of vulnerability, where Octa shows appreciation for his family and friends — it’s a nice touch and gives him that humble father vibe, rather than just a man who beats people up.
There are some decent fighting sequences though, where our maverick protagonist single-handedly fights off multiple men. They do get a little repetitive towards the end; they could have introduced some weapons, but that might have defeated the purpose that he uses his fists for a living.
I did enjoy the chase scenes around Berlin, and wish I had his energy to run through half of them.
The acting is not going to compete at any awards, however, each character does well in blending action with desire, determination, and action. It’s a predictable storyline and the film could have used a twist or two to help it feel less flat and formulaic. However, it’s a happy ending that everyone wants.
I’m going to say that Sixty Minutes isn’t worth watching. It’s a basic action film that leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe if they’d have had a funny bone this could have swung in a different direction.
Sixty Minutes is not a bad film, but it is not worth your time. If you’re looking for something with drama, action, and intensity surrounding a father and his daughter, then watch Taken instead.
What did you think of Sixty Minutes? Comment below.
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