The Cleaner

Grade: B

In this British take on the Die Hard formula, window cleaner and former soldier Joey Locke (Daisy Ridley from the most recent Star Wars trilogy) is stuck on the outside of a skyscraper when ecoterrorists take over the building.

Though there can be significant gaps behind fights, the action in this is good. (The director is Martin Campbell, the man behind The Mask of Zorro, Goldeneye, and Casino Royale. Yeah, he might no be longer at the height of his skill, but he still knows how to provide some decent action.) The Cleaner sets itself apart from other movies in the genre with the whole stuck on the side of the building gimmick. Joey's there for an unexpectedly long time, and her surviving out there as things get worse makes for some good and new spectacle.

I gotta say that ecoterrorism made for a watchable motivation for the villains. More stuff happens with them than you'd expect.

However, the build-up to the hostage situation is a slow burn. The beginning also shows Joey's relationship with her brother. I know it's to show her character and build her journey, but it's a LOT of them just being upset with each other. Tonally, the movie does feel a little confused and doesn't know how light or dark it wants to go.  

The Clean has a pretty good cast and characters. Ridley makes for a solid lead, though honestly, it's the group of villains that are the best performances and the most entertaining parts. (The villains are hidden a bit, so I won't spoil for them for you if you haven't seen the trailer yet.)

This isn't a movie you need to see in the theater, but it makes for a decent watch.