Fans split over thriller that's 'British Die Hard' and 'palate cleanser' for John Wick spin-off

A new thriller featuring Star Wars alum Daisy Ridley is being hailed as a 'female Die Hard' and an ideal way to prepare for upcoming John Wick spin-off.

Cleaner is now available for streaming after recently being added to the ever-evolving library offered by Sky Cinema. It is also accessible to those with the appropriate membership on the streaming platform NOW.

Daisy Ridley, famed for her role as Rey in the sequel trilogy including Force Awakens, Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker, stars in the film. She is also expected to return to the George Lucas created galaxy far far away in the near future.

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In Cleaner, she shares the screen with Boiling Point star Taz Skylar and Clive Owen. The movie's plot revolves around a group of criminal activists who take over an energy company's annual gala to expose their corruption. However, their noble cause is taken over by an extremist ready to kill everyone in the building to broadcast his anarchic message.

Ridley plays an ex-soldier turned window cleaner, who finds herself suspended 50 storeys up on the outside of a London skyscraper, tasked with saving those trapped inside, including her younger brother, reports .

The film is directed by Martin Campbell, known for directing James Bond movies Goldeneye with Pierce Brosnan, as well as the Daniel Craig reboot Casino Royale. He also directed Green Lantern with and The Foreigner starring Jackie Chan.

Less than a week after its release, the film is storming up the charts on streaming platform NOW, claiming the top spot as the most-watched movie despite garnering just 51% on Rotten Tomatoes. While reactions from movie buffs have been a mixed bag, many can't help drawing parallels to the action-packed Die Hard, famously led by Bruce Willis.

The critiques are varied, with one saying: "Cleaner starts off as a promising thriller that's obviously inspired by Die Hard, with a hero battling office-invading terrorists. But as the movie goes along, it becomes too ridiculous to take. Everything devolves into corny dreck with uneven acting."

Still, another commendation comes for its effective use of a modest budget: "Regardless, and despite its obvious budget constraints, Cleaner is a certainly entertaining, action-packed romp that's also well-shot."

There's even applause for Daisy Ridley's performance as Ridley's character in 'Cleaner' has captured attention with acclaim coming her way: "What makes Martin Campbell's Cleaner such an entertaining ride is the central performance by Daisy Ridley...Yes, it's the usual 'disillusioned-therefore-reluctant-hero' role but she gives it more depth than usual."

But echoes of Die Hard linger among fans, with one stating online: "Very entertaining. Great fight sequences. Die Hard comes to London."

Sadly, not everyone was thrilled, as one viewer remarked: "Female Die Hard with British accents. It's not awful if you enjoy the genre, but it lacks any real excitement. The plot holes are painful. One watch was enough."

Yet another commenter on X had a different take, hinting at its potential as a warm-up act for an anticipated release: "Ballerina will be in cinemas soon so you can call this a palate cleanser if you want."

Cleaner is streaming on Sky Cinema and NOW.