We’re in 2026, and a movie based on a toy or board game is still a total roll of the dice. The latest property to take a swing at childhood nostalgia is Apple TV’s Matchbox: The Movie, based on Mattel’s iconic die-cast brand (and yes, the irony of Mattel also owning Hot Wheels isn’t lost on anyone).
Don’t go into this expecting another Barbie. Keep your expectations in check for some actiony action, easy laughs, and pure nostalgia, and you’ll have a great time. The narrative follows a predictable playbook and the plotting is paper-thin at times, but it compensates with its charm. Whether it was intentional or not, it captures that pure feeling of being a kid sitting on the floor with a handful of toy cars, making up a wild, fantastical story as you go.
Matchbox: The Movie
- Director: Sam Hargrave
- Starring: John Cena, Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Arturo Castro, Teyonah Parris, Danai Gurira, Corey Stoll, Bill Camp
- Genre: Action, Comedy, Adventure
- Runtime: 127 mins
That playground imagination carries directly into the action. The chases feel real, but with a twist: insane jumps, impossible stunts, and ridiculous vehicular physics that make no sense in reality, but make total sense if you’ve ever launched a toy car across a living room rug. On top of that, the cinematographer deserves serious kudos. There are some incredible, vibrant shots here that make the colors and set pieces genuinely pop off the screen.
At the center of it all is John Cena, who is simply a joy to watch as a framed CIA operative on the run. When his old childhood crew—Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Arturo Castro, and Teyonah Parris—unwittingly gets dragged into the conspiracy with him, the survival stakes get personal. Dubbed the “Matchbox Gang,” this ensemble has fantastic chemistry. Richardson and Castro bring their comedy chops, firing off most of the laugh out loud banter in the film. Meanwhile, Biel provides the grounded, capable anchor—complete with a sweet, unspoken mutual crush between her and Cena’s character that gives the dynamic some genuine heart.
Where Matchbox truly succeeds is self-awareness. It knows it’s an action-adventure comedy inspired by miniature cars, and it leans into that kinetic silliness without apology. It honestly made me want to go dig out my old dinkie cars and create my own backyard adventure. (Yes, “dinkie cars” was the slang back when I was little, and I had hundreds of them).
Grab a bucket of popcorn, gather the family, and enjoy the ride.
