A suspiciously star-studded movie that barely made a dent at the box office a decade ago has quietly found a second life on streaming — and viewers are only now realizing what they missed the first time around.
The film in question is Criminal, a 2016 sci-fi action thriller that blends the relentless momentum of Taken with the identity-swapping premise of Face/Off. It features Kevin Costner — now best known to millions as the brooding patriarch of Yellowstone — alongside a cast that reads like a Hollywood roll call: Ryan Reynolds, Gary Oldman, Gal Gadot, Tommy Lee Jones, and Alice Eve. And yet, somehow, it came and went without much fanfare. Now, years later, it’s generating real buzz on Tubi.
The timing, in retrospect, was almost comically unlucky. Several of the film’s cast members would go on to massive cultural moments just around the corner. Had Criminal arrived even slightly later, it might have ridden those waves to a far more comfortable box office run.
What Is Criminal Actually About?
Criminal centers on a dead CIA operative whose memories, skills, and personality are surgically implanted into the mind of a dangerous convicted criminal — played by Kevin Costner — in a last-ditch effort to complete a critical mission. Think of it as Face/Off‘s identity-swap premise filtered through a grittier, more grounded action lens, with the propulsive urgency of the Liam Neeson Taken franchise underneath it all.
It’s a high-concept thriller that leans hard into its B-movie DNA while also trying to be something a little more emotionally resonant. Costner, playing a man slowly absorbing another person’s memories — including his family and feelings — gives the film a surprising emotional anchor that most pure action films wouldn’t bother with.
The movie was directed by Ariel Vromen and written by Douglas Cook and David Weisberg, the duo behind The Rock. That pedigree alone should have generated more excitement than it did.
The Cast That Time — and Audiences — Forgot
Looking at the lineup now, it’s genuinely puzzling that Criminal didn’t make more noise. The ensemble is stacked in a way that feels almost accidental.
- Kevin Costner — now a household name again thanks to Yellowstone, but in 2016 still fighting to reclaim leading-man status
- Ryan Reynolds — just months away from the Deadpool phenomenon that would redefine his career
- Gal Gadot — on the cusp of becoming Wonder Woman and a global superstar
- Gary Oldman — an Oscar winner and one of the most respected actors of his generation
- Tommy Lee Jones — a legend lending serious dramatic weight to the project
- Alice Eve — a recognizable face from the Star Trek franchise
The irony is almost painful. Deadpool opened in February 2016. Criminal released in April 2016. Reynolds was at peak cultural momentum, and the film still couldn’t capitalize on it.
Why It Flopped — and Why That’s Not the Whole Story
Box office failure doesn’t always mean a bad movie. Sometimes it means bad timing, a muddled marketing campaign, or a concept that doesn’t translate well to a two-minute trailer. Criminal likely suffered from all three.
The premise — memory transplantation, rogue operatives, globe-trotting danger — sounds compelling on paper but can easily come across as derivative in a crowded action market. In 2016, audiences had no shortage of slick spy thrillers and action franchises competing for the same weekend dollars.
What streaming does, though, is strip away all of that noise. Without the pressure of opening weekend numbers or the weight of a theatrical marketing push, a film like Criminal gets to simply exist on its own terms. Viewers browsing Tubi aren’t comparing it to whatever opened last Friday. They’re just looking for something worth watching on a Tuesday night — and Criminal, it turns out, delivers on that front.
The Streaming Second Life Phenomenon
This is becoming a recognizable pattern in the streaming era. Films that were dismissed or overlooked during their theatrical windows are quietly finding devoted audiences years later on free, ad-supported platforms like Tubi.
The economics make sense. These platforms need content volume, and older films with recognizable names in the cast are exactly the kind of thing that drives casual discovery. A viewer sees Kevin Costner’s name, or remembers they’ve been meaning to check out something with Ryan Reynolds, and suddenly a forgotten 2016 misfire has a second chance.
| Film | Year | Key Cast | Streaming Home (as of 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criminal | 2016 | Kevin Costner, Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot, Gary Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones | Tubi |
For Costner specifically, the Yellowstone effect is real. The show turned him into one of the most-watched actors on television, and that kind of cultural re-elevation sends audiences digging through back catalogs. Whatever Costner touches right now gets a second look — and Criminal is benefiting directly from that.
Worth Your Time or Just a Curiosity?
That depends on what you’re looking for. Criminal isn’t a lost masterpiece. It’s a well-cast, competently made genre film with a genuinely interesting central conceit and a performance from Costner that elevates material that could have easily been forgettable.
The cast alone makes it worth at least one evening. Watching Reynolds and Gadot through the lens of everything they became afterward adds a strange, almost nostalgic dimension to the experience. It’s a time capsule of a specific moment in Hollywood — right before several of its stars exploded into something much bigger.
And it’s free on Tubi. That’s a pretty low bar to clear.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the movie Criminal about?
Criminal is a 2016 sci-fi action thriller in which a dead CIA operative’s memories are implanted into a dangerous convicted criminal, played by Kevin Costner, to complete an unfinished mission.
Who stars in Criminal?
The film features Kevin Costner, Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot, Gary Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones, and Alice Eve.
Where can I watch Criminal in 2026?
Criminal is currently available to stream on Tubi.
Why did Criminal flop at the box office?
The film was released in April 2016 into a crowded action market and failed to make a significant impression theatrically, despite its star-studded cast — several of whom became much bigger names shortly afterward.
What movies is Criminal compared to?
The film has been described as a blend of the Taken franchise’s urgent action style and the identity-swapping premise of Face/Off.
Is Criminal connected to Yellowstone?
There is no narrative connection — the link is simply that Kevin Costner stars in both, and his renewed fame from Yellowstone has driven fresh interest in his older film work, including Criminal.
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