The Trend of Thrillers and Apex’s Arrival
Thrillers remain a top choice for streaming audiences, and Netflix has jumped on the trend by releasing Apex, an original feature with Charlize Theron both starring and involved in production. Theron, known for her intense roles, even performed her own stunts for the film. Apex delivers high-stakes suspense as it places its characters in the remote, often unforgiving expanses of the Australian outback. While the story is officially a work of fiction, some viewers and critics have speculated that elements were inspired by disturbing real-world events.
Connections to Notorious True Crimes?
Apex revolves around a woman's desperate attempt to survive after being targeted by a serial killer who hunts her as prey. This chilling premise is reminiscent of several real criminal cases.
The case of Robert Hansen is one that comes to mind. Between 1971 and 1983, Hansen committed a series of murders in Alaska. He reportedly abducted, tortured, and assaulted his victims before releasing them into the wilderness and hunting them. Like in Apex, some of Hansen's victims were pursued in vast, wild landscapes. Hansen was sentenced to 461 years in prison and died in custody in August 2014.
Another potential inspiration is Ivan Milat, an Australian serial killer who operated from 1989 to 1992. Milat mainly targeted hitchhiking tourists, killing them in forests or remote areas that were extremely hard to access. This setting, comparable to the wild backdrop of Apex, has also been used in other films, such as Wolf Creek. Milat was sentenced to life imprisonment and died in 2019.
The ruthless character Ben the poacher—played by Taron Egerton—resembles not only these figures but also other criminals who psychologically terrorized their targets. One such example is Joseph Vacher, a French killer from the late 19th century nicknamed “the killer of shepherds,” who preyed on isolated individuals.
Fiction Rooted in Familiar Fears
Officially, Apex is entirely fictional; it is not an adaptation of real events, though its plot might echo aspects of notorious crimes from the past. Its blend of survival, suspense, and psychological horror set against the harsh Australian wilderness has drawn considerable attention, sending it to the top of Netflix’s most-watched rankings. Whether you’re streaming it for the first time or revisiting its tense narrative, Apex offers a gripping thrill ride now available on Netflix.
