Cleaner

by Mike McGranaghan

Cleaner very much reminded me of many of the action movies of the 1980s – stuff like Commando, Die Hard, and Lethal Weapon that were “realistic” yet still maintained a slightly exaggerated edge that allowed for crazy thrills. It’s not on the same level as any of those, although it does offer a similar kind of manic energy that’s enormously fun if you’re willing to surrender to it. Director Martin Campbell knows his way around the genre, having previously helmed The Mask of Zorro and Casino Royale, among others.

A group of ecoterrorists, led by Marcus Blake (Clive Owen), takes over the headquarters of a thriving energy company, determined to expose the criminal behavior of its top executives. What they don’t know is that window washer – and former army soldier - Joey Locke (Daisy Ridley) is still suspended on the building’s exterior. She sees what’s going on and tries to figure out how to use the precarious position she’s in to her advantage, especially since her Marvel-obsessed autistic brother Michael (Matthew Tuck) is inside.

You get two types of action in Cleaner. The “taking hostages” half is more routine, yet it adds suspense by having Marcus engaging in a clash of ideals with his right-hand man (Taz Skylar). The more unusual element involves Joey dangling from the side of the skyscraper in various ways. A couple of shots are obviously CGI. For the most part, though, the effects are convincing enough to induce vertigo, especially when she’s forced to surrender her safety equipment. The film has a good time devising perils for her to face many stories above the ground.

Daisy Ridley is the key to making this story work. She’s physically credible in the action sequences. At the same time, she never loses sight of the character she’s playing. Joey very much wants to save her brother, for personal reasons that are revealed as the movie progresses. Ridley keeps that sibling compassion front and center, even when she’s climbing, dangling, and fighting. Everything Joey does is dictated by that goal.

Clive Owen provides excellent supporting work as the villain, whose arc goes in a direction I promise you won’t expect. In an enticing twist, the plot uses his character to get into the philosophy of ecoterrorism, asking whether it’s okay to punish the people running companies that harm the rest of us through environmentally unsound practices. The screenplay never gets too bogged down in that, but it’s dealt with enough to give Cleaner some topicality.

I would love to have heard the pitch meeting for this film. “It’s Die Hard, but with a window washer!” Yeah, that’s slightly kooky. The filmmakers smartly maintain awareness of this fact, though, incorporating instances of humor to let you know not to take things too seriously. Cleaner sets out to be a fast-paced dose of escapist entertainment, and that’s exactly what it is.

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