The old saying “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” is on full display this week, as the new streaming movies are filled with unlikely alliances and surprising team-ups that drive their stories in exciting new directions.
The most surprising team-up is in Karate Kid: Legends (Netflix, Saturday). For the first time, Daniel LaRusso, a master of defensive Okinawan karate, must form an alliance with Mr. Han, a practitioner of aggressive and acrobatic kung fu. Their conflicting philosophies and methods will surely create a dynamic and entertaining partnership as they co-mentor a new student.
In M3GAN 2.0 (Peacock), we get a truly shocking alliance. Gemma, the android’s creator, must team up with her rogue creation, M3GAN, to take down an even greater threat. This forced partnership between a human and her monstrous creation is a brilliant twist that promises a complex and tense dynamic.
Ballerina (Starz, today) features a tense alliance of necessity. The protagonist, an assassin on a revenge mission, must navigate the treacherous world of the High Table. This will likely force her into temporary alliances with other killers, and her brief but significant encounter with John Wick himself is a team-up of legendary proportions.
The alliance in The Surfer (Hulu, today) is the most fundamental of all: a father and son against the world. As Nicolas Cage’s character is tormented, his bond with his son becomes his primary motivation and his only true alliance in a hostile environment.
The story of All of You (Apple TV+, tomorrow) is about the ultimate alliance: a deep and powerful friendship. The entire film explores the strength of this bond and tests whether it can evolve into a romantic partnership, the most intimate team-up of all.