Kevin Hart's 2026 Comedy Featuring A Marvel Villain Actor Is A Breezy Weekend Watch On Netflix

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It's no secret that studios have abandoned big comedies. But the real bummer is that even the stuff on streaming usually isn't any good. Add Kevin Hart to the mix, and you can be pretty sure you're in for a rough ride. His latest effort, "72 Hours," just hit Netflix, and while it bears many of the hallmarks of a Hart stinker, there might just be something to it. For one thing, the movie has a solid cast that not only features "Saturday Night Live" stars Marcello Hernández, Ben Marshall, and Kam Patterson but also Michael Mando, who played Mac Gargan/Scorpion in "Spider-Man: Homecoming" and is set to reprise his role in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day."

Look, we're not here to lead you astray. "72 Hours" currently has a 13% Rotten Tomatoes score and was dubbed "a disaster of epic proportions" by The Daily Beast's Nick Schager. We wouldn't blame you for immediately writing this one off. But before you close this tab in disgust, consider that 50% of "top critics" actually liked the movie, and Robert Daniels of RogerEbert.com even called it "a surprisingly existentialist work." Perhaps the mystery of what Daniels found in Hart's latest Netflix comedy is enough to pique your interest. If so, a not entirely terrible film awaits.

"72 Hours" sees Hart's 40-year-old marketing executive Joe Nixon accidentally added to a group chat for an upcoming bachelor party. Joe has no idea who the Gen-Zers in the chat actually are, but after his latest attempt to secure a brand deal for his firm falls through, he decides he needs a refresher on what the kids are into. So, he tags along to the bachelor party in Miami and meets up with Marshall's Hunter, Hernández's Nick, Patterson's Freshman, and Mason Gooding's Mason. Hijinks ensue.

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"72 Hours" is directed by Tim Story, who's known for the "Barbershop" and "Ride Along" franchises and for 2005's "Fantastic Four" and its 2007 sequel, "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer." More recently, he directed Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson in the action comedy "The Pickup," and now, he's given us "72 Hours." Overall, the movie has flashes of humor and makes for an easy weekend watch, even if it doesn't live up to the films to which it's clearly indebted — most obviously, "The Hangover."

"72 Hours" sees Joe Nixon and his Gen-Z friends venture out for a weekend of debauchery. But things take a turn when a drug dealer named Jaze (Michael Mando) mistakes Joe for a rival. Along the way, Kevin Hart actually appears to be poking fun at his own dwindling relevance as his jokes fall flat with his newfound buddies. That at least helps "72 Hours" feel a little more knowing than other recent Hart comedies (like the uninspired waste of potential that was "The Man from Toronto").

Still, like so many streaming offerings, "72 Hours" has the rhythms of a Judd Apatow-era comedy but often fails to deliver on the actual jokes. In that sense, it's sort of a bummer to be constantly reminded of a golden era of comedy films by way of a not so great one. But Hart's charisma is undeniable, and he manages to keep things afloat ... mostly. Otherwise, the movie sidelines two of its best performers in Teyana Taylor, who plays Joe's wife, and Zach Cherry as Joe's friend and colleague Barry. Still, if you're looking for a way to pass the time of a weekend, "72 Hours" isn't quite as bad as that RT score would suggest.