My favorite film genres have always been action and thriller. When I saw the cover of “Shadow Force,” portraying two people on edge with weapons in their hands, I knew it would be something worth watching.

Released May 9, “Shadow Force” follows Kyrah Owens (Kerry Washington) and Isaac Sarr (Omar Sy), the former leaders of a special operations unit “Shadow Force.” After being caught in a relationship going against the unit’s rules, they find themselves on the run from antagonist Jack Cinder (Mark Strong) and their past unit to protect their son and their lives.

This film reminded me of the movie, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” where the couple was also a part of different special forces. Although “Shadow Force” had a similar theme, it was more intense.

The first thing I noticed was how the scenes were filmed from different perspectives — it was captivating to see the dramatic angles paired with darker lighting. The director of this film, Joe Carnahan, is known to focus on action movies with unique angles. Through “Shadow Force,” I could feel the passion he had for directing by how well this movie was produced.

The boring pacing is my only critique. Though the scenes were filled with action, the storyline was stretched out. Between scenes, unnecessary side characters were introduced who didn’t contribute to the main plot. It felt distracting to the focus of the storyline.

Though this movie can be passed off as another action film, it carries deeper meanings of family and loyalty. Kyrah and Isaac decide to choose the love of their family over their lifelong career. They went against their past lives to protect their son and future instead.

Overall, I would recommend “Shadow Force” to viewers who favor action movies. It would be a dull watch for anyone else who doesn’t enjoy thrills.