Cleaner (2025) || High Stakes…

I’ll be honest, this isn’t the kind of movie I wanted to be into, especially with the way action films have been feeling lately. But the concept genuinely grabbed me, a window cleaner stuck on the side of a skyscraper who suddenly becomes the only person who can stop a building full of hostages from being slaughtered. That sounded like the kind of “Die Hard with a unique twist” energy that might actually work. Spoiler: it mostly does, even if it stumbles a bit along the way.

Synopsis(possible spoilers)

Thd story centers on Joey Locke (Daisy Ridley), a former soldier whose childhood past gave her some serious climbing and combat skills which of course come in handy when a group of activists takes over One Canada Square, a towering London skyscraper, during a high-profile energy company gala. Some members of the group want to expose corruption; others have totally lost their moral compass. When the takeover turns really violent and innocent people become hostages, Joey is the only one in the right place with the right skill set even if she didn’t exactly ask for this assignment.

What’s immediately obvious about this film is the “Die Hard” energy as aforementioned, a reluctant hero in impossible circumstances, a building filled with danger, and a ticking clock that makes every second feel a little too tight. That framework is timeless and the director Martin Campbell (yes, Casino Royale’s director) knows how to shoot tension and height-inducing moments. There’s real anxiety in those early scenes of Joey dangling outside the building while chaos erupts behind her.

Daisy Ridley is solid. Actually my first impression of her. She brings this restrained intensity to the character Joey, the kind of “I have seen things no person should see” vibe that works really well here. She doesn’t play it for laughs or quips which I appreciated and when things get physical or dramatic, she sells it. There’s also a sweetness in her scenes with her Older brother Michael (Matthew Tuck) that gives the film some unexpected heart amid the violence.

But here’s the honest part though. According to my observation, the film didn’t earn the tension it wanted. Because Joey is absurdly capable, like way too capable for someone whose normal job is cleaning windows, the danger often feels muted. Instead of wondering whether she’ll survive, you end up thinking, yeah, she’s going to figure this out and that takes some suspense out of the action.

The writing is also a bit shaky. Some dialogue appeared expository/clunky, which undercuts the emotional beats and makes big moments feel less impactful. And while the antagonist group starts with a real-world idea about exposing corruption, it quickly devolves into ‘kill everything or nothing’ energy that doesn’t feel believable, even in an action movie.

That said, there are moments that work. Campbell shoots the height and physical peril with confidence, you feel the vertigo whenever Joey clings to the outside of that tower. And despite its flaws, the film moves briskly in its 97-minute runtime, so it never overstays its welcome.

Critically, the movie landed somewhere in the middle, but I seemed to enjoy it. That alone tells me the film knows what it is and it’s perfectly fine if you treat it like a popcorn action ride rather than deep cinema.

Not hating but this film isn’t going to reinvent action films plus it borrows heavily from classics like Die Hard, but it knows its lane. Daisy Ridley gives a committed performance, the setting keeps things visually interesting, and the sibling dynamic gives the story some heart. If you go in expecting simple thrills, some tension, and a familiar one hero vs. impossible odds vibe, you’ll probably enjoy it. Just don’t go in expecting twists that redefine the genre, this one gives you what you think you’re signing up for.

Rating: 6.7/10