Luke Brunner (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger), a retiring spy and operative, is sent to disrupt and neutralize a nuclear arms deal with Boro Polonia (Gabriel Luna) as the swan song of his CIA career. Upon arrival in Guyana, he discovers that his seemingly sweet and innocent daughter is also a CIA agent and is undercover on-site already. The two learn how to navigate their new relationship full of emotional baggage while also leading a team trying to complete their mission of averting nuclear disaster.
If you’re expecting a feature film or even a mini-series that you can watch like a feature film, you’ll be disappointed. All eight episodes are exactly as a traditional TV series would run such as The Blacklist or Alias (except with more language and more comedy). Each episode presents a new challenge for the team and there’s character growth all along the way.
Speaking of characters, you would think that, with Schwarzenegger starring, nobody else would get any time in the spotlight. But that’s simply not the case. Luna is a gem as the villain, Milan Carter plays Uncle Barry so perfectly that I can’t wait to see him in his next project, Travis Van Winkle starts off as a cookie-cutter ladies man only to find out there’s so much more heart in how he plays the character and Fortune Feimster brings a ton of comedic value with her witty dialogue. But the real star of the show is Monica Barbaro. She absolutely shines as Emma, effortlessly delivering the wide range of emotions her role calls for.
FUBAR does have its issues, however. For example, real spies would never even whisper their true identities on assignment, let alone openly talk about them in a cabin that could be bugged. Some scenes feel a bit predictable and a few explosions appear as if special effects interns were learning on the job. In addition, Schwarzenegger has a few rather awkward acting moments. An actor of his caliber should make the audience completely forget they’re watching a screen. He’s done that for decades – in much more far-fetched films, by the way – so it’s almost startling when that illusion breaks in this, even for a second.
Another fun element? From Twins (“I love Danny Devito!”) to True Lies (Tom Arnold makes an appearance) to Predator (“The chopper?”) to the Terminator saga (Emma’s CIA alias is “Dani,” the name of the girl Luna’s character was trying to kill in Dark Fate), there are loads of little nods and references to Schwarzenegger’s career. None are distracting for the unfamiliar but all are smile-worthy for those who are.
Whether you’re a Schwarzenegger fan or just love spy comedies, FUBAR is worth the binge. The eight-episode season seems like the perfect balance between completion and still wanting more. And, with the TV landscape the way it’s been over the last 15 years, any show that ends with the audience wanting more is a triumph. So while it does have its issues, FUBAR is a solid mix of laughs, heart and action. It deserves to be in your queue.
JKG SCORE: 6.0
Untitled Film Project 