I’ll admit I had more fun with The Pickup (2025) than I expected. Prime Video has been churning out a steady stream of C-tier action comedies, and most of them vanish from memory the moment the credits roll. I figured this would be another one of those forgettable titles, but to my surprise, it has just enough charm and comedic energy to make for a breezy, if uneven, watch.
The biggest reason it works at all is the cast. Eddie Murphy, Keke Palmer, and Pete Davidson headline the film, and in a pre-streaming era, that lineup alone probably would’ve been enough to guarantee a theatrical release. Murphy and Davidson play armored truck drivers Russell and Travis, whose ordinary pickup run goes sideways when a crew of criminals attempts to hijack their truck. Leading the hijackers is Palmer, who manages to manipulate Travis into giving up key intel after a night out together. Travis, convinced he’s fallen in love, finds himself torn between romance and survival, while Russell just wants the ordeal over with so he can make it home for his 25th wedding anniversary.
It’s a solid setup, and while The Pickup never rises above middle-of-the-road, the leads keep it engaging. Davidson brings his usual slacker charm, Palmer shines with her natural, quirky, off-beat charisma, and Murphy—while not exactly operating at full throttle—manages to ground the story with his dry delivery. Having been unimpressed with Murphy’s recent streaming outings (You People, Candy Cane Lane), I was relieved to find him at least coasting comfortably here, even if it feels like he’s on autopilot.
Director Tim Story has had a career defined by glossy, broad studio comedies (Fantastic Four, Ride Along, The Blackening), but this might be one of his more assured efforts. The action is handled cleanly, the pacing is tight, and the script doesn’t collapse under its own weight. Compared to the CGI-heavy messiness of his early superhero films, the straightforward style here suits him better.
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That said, The Pickup is never going to be mistaken for great action cinema. The stakes are low, the set pieces are serviceable rather than spectacular, and it doesn’t leave much of a lasting impression. But compared to some of Prime Video’s other 2025 action releases like G20 or Heads of State, this one feels like a minor win.
Score: 6/10
The Pickup (2025)
- Cast: Eddie Murphy, Pete Davidson, Keke Palmer, Eva Longoria, Jack Kesy, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Andrew Dice Clay, Marshawn Lynch
- Director: Tim Story
- Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime
- Runtime: 94 minutes
- Rated: R
- Release Date: August 6, 2025
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