🎬 Counterstrike (2025) Review – Netflix’s Mexican Tactical Thriller Delivers Gritty Action
Genre: Military Action, Thriller
Director: Chava Cartas
Platform: Netflix (released February 28, 2025)
Cast: Luis Alberti, Noé Hernández, Leonardo Alonso, Luis Curiel, David León, Guillermo Nava
Runtime: ~110 minutes
---
🌟 Introduction
Counterstrike (Spanish: Contraataque) emerges as a standout action-thriller from Mexico, offering a lean, tense portrayal of a hostage-rescue gone wrong. Directed by Chava Cartas, the film focuses on Captain Guerrero (Luis Alberti) and his elite squad as they battle a well-armed cartel in a remote jungle standoff. Explosive action and tactical realism put this Netflix title among 2025’s best foreign action films .
---
🧠 Plot Overview
The narrative follows Captain Armando Guerrero leading an elite team sent to rescue a kidnapped politician’s son from cartel forces. Outnumbered and outgunned, Guerrero’s squad uses guerrilla tactics and high-stakes combat to survive and complete their mission. The plot unfolds with precision: cat-and-mouse confrontations, ambushes, and intense firefights highlight a gritty survival thrill.
---
🎥 Strengths
Raw Tactical Action: Focused, compact firefights avoid spectacle overload, favoring realistic choreography and suspense.
Strong Ensemble: Luis Alberti leads well; solid support from Noé Hernández and Leonardo Alonso gives the squad emotional depth.
Atmospheric Setting: The dense jungle backdrop and tight framing enhance tension and highlight guerrilla warfare.
Pacing: Fast-moving without dragging—90 minutes of narrative momentum keeps viewers engaged .
---
⚠️ Areas for Improvement
Character Depth: While functional, the supporting squad members remain underdeveloped.
Predictable Tropes: Some mission beats follow established action-thriller formulas, though executed well.
Limited Ambition: The film excels in kinetic energy but lacks broader political or emotional layers.
---
👥 Who It's For
✅ Watch If You Like:
Military action with lean, intense set pieces
Global thrillers like Extraction or Sicario
Foreign-language films with minimal text-heavy exposition
🚫 Skip If You Prefer:
Deep character-driven drama
Political commentary or emotional arcs
---
⭐ Final Verdict
Counterstrike is a tightly wound, adrenaline-pumped actioner that shines in its simplicity. It doesn’t rewrite genre rules, but it delivers expertly handled tactical sequences and lean tension. Netflix gains a potent action entry, especially for fans of hard-hitting military films.