Cleaner seemed to have promise at first. The main character reminded me of a younger, tougher Keira Knightley; she comes across as an appealing woman living in a city today. Unfortunately, antagonists showed up, with Clive Owen heading them—he’s usually been in good films. However, in this one, he plays the villain and is only around briefly. That's disappointing on two levels. Following that, another character…

“Cleaner” fulfills the fundamental requirements of an action-thriller movie, but also incorporates familiar progressive themes. I’d suggest bypassing the initial twenty minutes; it's packed with discussions about diversity, male dominance, environmental concerns, and so on—a subtle attempt to portray the British military as virtuous. What remains is a serviceable action thriller featuring a character who resem…

Cleaner functions as an action-thriller and fulfills the genre’s fundamental expectations, though it doesn’t manage to distinguish itself. The film benefits from Daisy Ridley’s dedicated performance, however, Martin Campbell’s skilled direction isn't enough to obscure a screenplay that feels familiar and explores its themes without delving very deeply. Ultimately, it provides about ninety minutes of agreeable …