Spy Thriller Humint Rockets To #1 On Netflix

All right, Netflix just crowned a new #1 movie—and, unless you have a thing for international spy films, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of it. Every few months Netflix sneaks in a surprise action hit—think Extraction, Rebel Ridge, The Shadow Strays, or this year’s War Machine. This time, it’s a taut, bullet-riddled spy thriller called Humint that’s quietly taken over the global Top 10.

Here’s the rundown: Humint landed on Netflix earlier this week, and almost instantly soared to the platform’s top spot. Not bad for a movie that slipped onto the streamer out of nowhere, without the usual Hollywood hype. You’ll see the term “humint” in spy jargon (it stands for “human intelligence”—think actual spies, not James Bond’s martinis), and the movie doubles down on the tradecraft, intrigue, and secret-agent showdowns. It’s got the shadowy, twisty plotting of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy mixed with the stylish, up-close gunfights of John Wick. In other words: it’s not subtle, but it’s not dumb, either.

What’s It About Anyway?

Humint is the latest film from Ryoo Seung-wan—the guy behind The Berlin File (2013) and Escape from Mogadishu (2021). Both of those were heavy on international intrigue, and this new one basically continues Ryoo’s unofficial “Overseas Location” trilogy. By the way, you can actually stream those other two movies right now: The Berlin File is on Netflix, and Escape from Mogadishu is over on Prime Video or free with Roku.

Here’s the basic setup: You’ve got a South Korean intelligence agent trying to stamp out a Russian drug ring. Along the way, he crosses paths—and then gets tangled up—with a North Korean agent. Of course, both get sucked into an escalating mess of secrets, threats, and double (or triple?) crosses. The main roles:

• Zo In-sung (Moving, Escape from Mogadishu) plays Manager Zo, the South Korean agent.
• Park Jeong-min (Hellbound, Time to Hunt) plays Park Geon, the North Korean operative with his own mission (and baggage).

At the moment, Humint is crushing charts all over the world—but, in one of those typically weird streaming quirks, it hasn’t really blown up in the US yet. If the trajectory holds, that won’t last long.

What’s the Buzz?

Another oddity: nobody really saw Humint coming. The movie was released in theaters back in February, but somehow almost no one in the West reviewed it. That’s starting to change now, mostly because action fans are discovering it and spreading the word.

Critics who managed to catch it are calling it the perfect ‘homage to John Woo’, and are praising its blend of modern noir and gritty Western—with an action climax being described as:

'some of the best heroic bloodshed in recent memory'

Much of the first hour is all about slow-burn espionage and shadowy backroom meetings, but if you stick with it the payoff is apparently worth the wait.

Where Does It Stand on Netflix?

At the moment, Humint is outpacing some serious competition. It just leapfrogged over Alan Ritchson’s sci-fi action flick War Machine (for those following Jack Reacher’s career arc), and the Peaky Blinders spinoff The Immortal Man. Also in the global Top 10 right now: Kevin Costner’s Let Him Go (yes, an actual Costner sighting), 40 Acres (dystopian, action-packed), and the revenge series The Red Line.

For Netflix, picking up global streaming rights for Humint looks like a smart bet. If you’re tired of recycled Hollywood action, or you want your shootouts with a side of actual spycraft, this one should probably be on your watchlist. Or at least a slot in your algorithm.