The Forgotten Antonio Banderas Action Movie Flop Getting A Second Life On Netflix

Antonio Banderas has nothing if not range. Who else could convincingly portray a swashbuckling but anxious cat and a tough-as-nails authority figure all within the same decade, as he does in the "Shrek" cinematic universe and 2017's "Security?"

"Security" features Banderas as Eduardo "Eddie" Deacon, a brusque overnight mall security guard. Eddie's job seems uneventful, as it serves as a simple opportunity to reunite his family and finally put some food on the table. But it suddenly goes haywire when an adolescent arrives one storm-drenched night and promptly faints on Eddie's watch. She warns Eddie that "they're" coming, and it turns out the 11-year-old is on the run from a flock of mobsters that would do anything to claim revenge on her after she provides witness testimony against Charlie (Ben Kingsley), a gangland kingpin. The mall is now a hunting ground, and Eddie's expertise — accrued from years in the Marines — and his fellow security guards are all that's standing between Jamie (Katherine de la Rocha) and death.

The independently-released "Security" hit the the Netflix streaming chart on May 28, reaching the ninth place position thus far. While this is a high ranking for such a small independent feature, you can never count out Antonio Banderas when it comes to winning over audiences, and they've definitely expressed their pleasure in the action film.

While "Security" may never become one of Antonio Banderas' best movies, audiences are watching it in droves. Unfortunately, so far they aren't doing much to tip the film's poor to mediocre audience approval scores in the right direction. At press time, it stands at a 34% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 5.7 on IMDb. User reviews have called out the film for its formulaic resemblance to action movies like "Die Hard" and "Man on Fire," but fans also think the movie has an awesome sense of breakneck pacing to it and a script that's elevated by Banderas' sheer talent.

Interestingly, Banderas did have some recent success on the Netflix charts. In July 2023,  "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" became a No. 1 hit for Netflix in July 2023. The movie held the top spot for several days and also became a hit in South Korea and Belgium. Since it was also a theatrical hit, its existence proves that Antonio Banderas' work stands as a big point of success not just for the streamer, but for movie exhibitors everywhere. 

If you'd like to learn more about the lead star of "Security," check out the untold truth of Antonio Banderas.