As the playdate inevitably goes south, and fast, Brian and the rest of the gang encounter a group of mercenaries who seem to be hunting Jeff and CJ. This could have been the moment for genuinely thrilling action sequences that might have salvaged the film. Instead, we are treated to some of the worst action scenes of the year, plagued by sloppy choreography, jarring camera work, and zero excitement. To make matters worse, the whole thing feels like an extended advertisement for the Honda Odyssey, as Brian and Jeff repeatedly use it as the world’s most durable getaway vehicle. They are pursued by cops, mercenaries, and a baffling mum mafia led by Isla Fisher, all of whom, of course, also drive Honda Odysseys. I can only assume writer Neil Goldman thought this was a hilarious addition, but it is cringe inducing from the outset.

As Luke Greenfield’s sloppy-at-best screenplay unravels, the film barrels toward the most obvious twist about who CJ really is, becoming increasingly tiresome and irritating. There is a poorly executed attempt to make the audience feel something during the final, shockingly violent scenes, which seem to be chasing the energy of the Kingsman films. Where those sequences worked in Kingsman because of clever setup and confident direction, in Playdate they are laughably bad and completely misplaced. By the end, the only feeling left is an overwhelming sense of “what did I just watch?”