Bad Day at the Office (2026) Review

Bad Day at the Office (2026) Review

Absolutely bonkers and gloriously relentless, Bad Day at the Office is a high-octane action thriller that throws conventional filmmaking out of the window and invites the audience to hold on for dear life. It’s not going to be to everyone’s taste, but for those willing to embrace its full-throttle madness, director Chee Keong Cheung has delivered something genuinely distinctive.

John Hannah (The Mummy) stars as Karl, a man who wakes up in a wrecked hotel room with a splitting headache and absolutely no recollection of what has happened, where he is, or even who he is. Discovering a dead body in his bathtub is bad enough, but when two police officers come knocking, his morning takes a decidedly unpleasant turn. Soon, Karl and hotel maid Molly (Radha Mitchell) find themselves caught up in a murderous conspiracy, with a price on Karl’s head and seemingly half the city determined to collect it.

With his memory missing, Karl must rediscover the skills that might keep him alive while he and Molly attempt to unravel the mystery behind his predicament. Easier said than done when danger lurks around every corner and the body count keeps climbing.

What sets Bad Day at the Office apart from the usual action-thriller fare is its audacious first-person perspective. Shot entirely from the viewpoint of its characters, with GoPro cameras placing the audience directly in the thick of the action, every punch, chase and explosion becomes an immersive assault on the senses. Imagine Hardcore Henry colliding with Crank, throw in a dash of Call of Duty and a sprinkling of Guy Ritchie’s Snatch, and you’re somewhere in the right postcode. Whether you’ll emerge from the experience with your stomach intact is another matter entirely.

Cheung has created a wild, technically ambitious POV thriller that puts viewers squarely inside the chaos. You’re not simply watching the protagonist; you’re practically inhabiting him. The camera veers, spins and hurtles in every conceivable direction, refusing to sit still for even a moment. Those susceptible to motion sickness might want to reconsider their seating arrangements, while everyone else should prepare for an exhausting, adrenaline-fuelled ride.

The plot twists and turns throughout, and even a jaded film critic who thought he’d seen pretty much everything may find something refreshingly different here. In an increasingly generic film marketplace, Bad Day at the Office feels like a graphic novel brought to life through a gamer’s perspective, with its game cast throwing themselves into the madness with considerable gusto. Hannah, in particular, makes for an unlikely action hero, demonstrating that there’s considerably more to him than the wisecracking charm audiences will remember from The Mummy. Whether this launches him into the ranks of Liam Neeson and Bob Odenkirk as an unexpected action star remains to be seen, but he certainly gives it his best shot.

Make no mistake, this is an exceptionally violent affair. The action barely lets up, the gore comes thick and fast, and there’s scarcely a moment to catch your breath. Yet the sheer commitment to its relentless approach means the film rarely loses momentum. It’s a technically complex achievement that delivers action and bloodshed in abundance, even if its dizzying visual style will inevitably divide audiences.

Could Bad Day at the Office become a cult favourite? I wouldn’t rule it out. It may not conquer the box office, but its outrageous premise and distinctive execution could find a receptive audience when it reaches the home entertainment market. This is one of those films you really have to experience to believe, preferably on the biggest screen available to appreciate its giddy, kinetic energy in all its glory.

Verdict: An unapologetically chaotic, blood-soaked action ride that dares to do things differently. It’s not for the faint-hearted, the easily queasy or anyone looking for a quiet night at the cinema. For everyone else, buckle up.

Bad Day at the Office celebrated its world premiere at the Edinburgh Film Festival, where it opened the Midnight Madness section. The film arrives in UK and Irish cinemas on 30 October 2026, with 4DX and 3D screenings available at selected cinemas.