Exterritorial is a German action film written and directed by Christian Zubert. It was released on Netflix on April 30, 2025.
The movie follows Sara (Jeanne Goursaud), a former soldier struggling with PTSD, who believes her son, Josh, was kidnapped during a visit to the U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt, where she’s waiting for a visa approval to move to America. As she engage on her search, she encounters various individuals who try to convince her that her son doesn’t exist, that he’s nothing more than a figment of her imagination
During her search, Sara meets Irina, another detainee, who reveals that she is the daughter of a wealthy German criminal killed by the government and possesses a USB drive containing evidence of his assassination. As the story unfolds, Sara is forced to confront her traumatic past in Afghanistan, the ambush that claimed the lives of her entire team, including her son’s father. Using her military training and experience, Sara navigates the consulate, uncovering the truth behind the ambush and the mystery of her son’s kidnapping.
This film follows a familiar, predictable formula, a parent trying to save their child from the bad guys. Sound familiar? There’s nothing particularly deep or philosophical about it. The acting won’t win any awards, but it’s adequate enough to convey the basic plot, though it doesn’t require much depth to understand. The fight scenes feel more like a high school dance rehearsal than intense action. The punches lack impact, the choreography is off-beat, and the editing is subpar.
Overall, the script and writing are poorly executed, leaving the action sequences feeling lackluster and unconvincing.
In conclusion, this is one of the worst films I’ve seen in a long time. There’s no reason anyone should waste their time on it, unless, of course, you have time to kill. In that case, feel free to go ahead, but don’t say you weren’t warned.
