Affinity (2025) Review: Fists, Fear, and a Missing Woman

This affinity review looks at a compact action thriller that puts Chilean martial-arts star Marko Zaror front and centre. Directed by Brandon Slagle, the 2025 Australian production runs just 81 minutes and aims for fast, punchy entertainment with a sci-fi streak. It mostly delivers on that modest promise.

Affinity Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Affinity plot centres on Bruno, a former SEAL who struggles with PTSD and keeps his demons at arm's length. He lives a guarded, fearful life until he discovers a beautiful woman who has no past of her own. The two start building something like a normal life together.

Then she disappears. Bruno has to return to the violence he tried to leave behind, and he soon learns that her disappearance is tied to a shocking conspiracy. The tagline, "Ex-SEAL. Elite team. One impossible truth," sums up the mix of military grit and mystery.

I will say no more about where the story goes. The setup is the film's strongest hook, because it blends a rescue mission with a question about who this woman really is.

What Works in Affinity

The short runtime is a real asset. The film moves quickly from its quiet opening to the search, and it rarely lingers where it doesn't need to.

• A clear emotional engine: Bruno's trauma gives the action some weight beyond simple payback.

• A genre blend: The thriller mystery and the sci-fi hints keep the plot from feeling like a standard rescue story.

• Martial-arts credibility: With Zaror in the lead, the fight scenes carry real physical authority.

Fans of low-budget action will find plenty to enjoy here, and you can browse more titles in our Action movie reviews section.

Affinity Cast and Performances

The Affinity cast is led by Marko Zaror as Bruno. He is best known for his fighting skills, and he brings a quiet, wounded presence to the role that suits a man trying to stay calm. His physicality does most of the talking.

Brooke Ence plays Fitch, and Jane Mirro appears as Athena. Louis Mandylor is Joe, Brahim Achabbakhe plays Krieger, and Ego Mikitas is Dr. Kovalovski. The supporting players serve the story well enough, though the material gives most of them limited room to stand out.

Zaror as an Action Lead

Zaror carries the picture. He sells both the fear and the fury, and the film works best when it trusts his screen presence rather than its dialogue.

Where Affinity Stumbles

At 81 minutes, the film has little time to develop its ideas. The conspiracy and the science behind it are sketched rather than explored, so the bigger questions can feel thin.

The supporting characters also feel more like functions than people. An elite team is promised, but we learn little about them. Viewers hoping for deep character drama or intricate world-building may want more.

Like many budget-conscious action films, it also leans on familiar beats. If you have seen a few trauma-driven rescue thrillers, some turns will feel recognisable. For a different kind of tension, our review of Under Fire offers another small-scale standoff.

Is Affinity Worth Watching?

Yes, if you want a brisk, no-fuss action thriller with a hint of sci-fi. It is not a groundbreaking film, but it is efficient and committed to its star. Audiences on TMDB have given it a 6.9 out of 10 from 40 votes, which fits my own sense of a solid, modest watch.

The film works because it knows its size. It does not try to be an epic, and its short length keeps the pace up. For anyone asking whether Affinity is worth watching, the answer is a qualified yes for genre fans.

The Affinity release date was 27 November 2025, and the film carries an R rating. For more tense stories, see our Thriller movie reviews.

Who Will Enjoy Affinity

• Martial-arts fans who want to see Marko Zaror in a leading role.

• Viewers who like short, fast action thrillers with a mystery at the centre.

• Anyone who enjoys stories about veterans haunted by their past.