Apex: Charlize Theron Faces a Deadly Hunt in Netflix’s Australian Wilderness Thriller

Charlize Theron is running for her life, and the person hunting her is Taron Egerton in a dangerous new Netflix survival thriller. Apex drops the Oscar-winning actress into the unforgiving Australian wilderness, where a solo escape quickly becomes a fight to stay alive.

The film follows Sasha, a grieving woman who travels into the Australian wilderness seeking solace. Instead, she finds herself caught in a deadly game with Ben, a ruthless serial killer who sees her as his next target.

Directed by Baltasar Kormákur, known for Everest and Adrift, the film combines action, psychological tension and survival elements against the vast and dangerous Australian landscape.

A peaceful escape turns into a nightmare

Sasha arrives at Wandarra National Park hoping to spend time alone in the wilderness.

At a gas station, she encounters Ben, who gives her directions. When Sasha later reaches her destination, however, Ben is waiting for her.

Things take an even darker turn when Sasha discovers that equipment has been stolen from her truck. Ben admits that he took it.

From there, the film transforms into a brutal game of pursuit.

The trailer introduces the rule that will define Sasha’s fight for survival: “Hunt or be hunted.” Ben gives her a brief head start before taking off after her with a crossbow.

Sasha runs through dense forest, navigates dangerous rapids and searches for any possible way to escape. Ben follows close behind, pursuing her through caves and across steep cliffs.

The wilderness itself becomes another threat as Sasha tries to stay ahead of a hunter who knows exactly what he is doing.

Charlize Theron takes on another physically demanding role

Theron plays Sasha, a woman forced to rely on her instincts and physical abilities when her journey into the wilderness turns into a fight for survival.

The actress described the film as both an action-adventure and psychological thriller, with survival extending beyond the physical struggle to the emotional battle taking place within Sasha.

The production also pushed Theron into demanding physical territory. She worked with professional rock climber Beth Rodden while developing Sasha’s physicality, and Theron and Egerton performed many of their own stunts with assistance from the film’s stunt department.

For a story built around a relentless pursuit, the physical performances are central to the tension.

Taron Egerton steps into a darker role

Taron Egerton plays Ben, the man pursuing Sasha through the Australian wilderness.

The character represents a significant shift from some of Egerton’s more familiar roles. Ben is presented as a ruthless psychopath and highly skilled hunter who views Sasha as prey.

Egerton has described Ben as one of the most extreme characters he has played. What makes the performance particularly unsettling is the character’s own perspective: Ben does not consider himself a killer in the way others would. He sees himself as a hunter pursuing his next target.

That perspective gives the central conflict another layer. Sasha is fighting simply to survive, while Ben approaches the pursuit as a game governed by his own twisted rules.

Eric Bana rounds out the cast

Alongside Theron and Egerton, Apex stars Eric Bana.

The film brings the three actors together for a survival story set almost entirely against the imposing Australian landscape. Director Baltasar Kormákur has emphasized the importance of that environment, with the rugged terrain functioning as a major part of the film rather than merely serving as a backdrop.

The production filmed in New South Wales, including the Blue Mountains, giving the movie a striking natural setting for its central chase.

A thriller built around the Australian wilderness

Rather than placing its characters in a conventional urban crime setting, Apex takes the conflict deep into the Australian wilderness.

Forests, cliffs, caves and rapids all become part of Sasha’s desperate attempt to escape. The vast surroundings give Ben plenty of territory in which to hunt, while Sasha must use whatever the environment offers to keep moving.

The result is a stripped-down survival premise centered on one question: can the hunted turn the tables on the hunter?

Netflix describes the movie as a story about a grieving woman whose solo adventure in the Australian wild becomes a twisted game with a cunning killer who believes she is his prey.

Behind the film

Apex is directed by Baltasar Kormákur and written by Jeremy Robbins.

The film is produced by Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping and David Ready for Chernin Entertainment; Ian Bryce for Ian Bryce Productions; and Kormákur for RVK Studios. Theron, A.J. Dix and Beth Kono also produce through Theron’s Secret Menu banner.

Ray Angelic, Will McCance and Dawn Olmstead serve as executive producers.

When can you watch Apex?

Apex premiered globally on Netflix on 24 April 2026 and is now available to stream.

At around 1 hour and 38 minutes, the film delivers a fast-paced survival thriller built around the escalating battle between Sasha and Ben.

With Charlize Theron fighting her way through the Australian wilderness and Taron Egerton pursuing her as a ruthless hunter, Apex turns the familiar chase-thriller formula into an intense battle of endurance, instinct and survival.