Poison Arrow (2025), directed by Pierre Morel (Taken, Peppermint), is a pulse-pounding survival action film set deep in the heart of an unforgiving jungle. Packed with deadly traps, silent assassins, and a race-against-time storyline, the film draws on elements of classic wilderness thrillers and modern revenge tales, offering both adrenaline and unexpected emotional impact.
The story follows Ava Marquez (played by Ana de Armas), a former black-ops sniper turned environmental activist, who journeys into the Amazon rainforest to uncover a corporate conspiracy responsible for illegal deforestation and tribal displacement. But when her team is ambushed by a mercenary group known as The Vultures, Ava is forced into a brutal game of survival.
Armed with nothing but a handmade poison-tipped arrow left behind by a local tribe, Ava must rely on instinct, stealth, and her deadly training to dismantle the operation—and confront a past that refuses to die. As the jungle closes in, the hunter becomes the hunted.
Ana de Armas is the film’s anchor, delivering a fierce, physically demanding performance. She balances vulnerability with sheer determination, turning Ava into a compelling action hero with both emotional weight and lethal precision.
Supporting performances from Clive Standen as the cold-blooded mercenary leader and Michelle Yeoh as a tribal elder who offers cryptic wisdom help enrich the narrative and raise the emotional stakes.
Director Pierre Morel brings his signature kinetic style to the action sequences. The fights are raw, up-close, and creatively choreographed, making use of the environment—trees, rivers, vines, and caves—as weapons. One standout sequence features a tense silent takedown using only a bow and poison arrow in the dead of night, with glowing toxins adding an eerie aesthetic.
The cinematography captures the lush, dangerous beauty of the jungle. Sweeping drone shots, rain-drenched terrain, and vibrant wildlife contrast with the grim brutality of the mercenaries, emphasizing the clash between nature and exploitation.
Poison Arrow isn’t just a survival story—it’s also a tale of justice, colonial greed, and environmental reckoning. The film explores how modern violence disrupts ancient harmony, and how redemption often comes at a high cost.
While the tone is serious and suspenseful, it avoids excessive melodrama. Flashbacks to Ava’s military past add emotional depth and explore the theme of reconciling violence with purpose.
Poison Arrow (2025) is a gripping and visually arresting action thriller that blends visceral survivalism with timely themes. It offers a fresh, female-led take on the jungle revenge genre, anchored by a powerhouse performance from Ana de Armas and direction that never lets the tension slip.
