If you're looking to kick off the week with an exciting movie, Netflix has just the thing. This new action thriller from Timo Tjahjanto, who directed the platform's 2022 action comedy “The Big 4,” was just released to the streaming service last week (Thursday, October 17) and has already made quite an impression on Netflix subscribers

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As of this writing, “The Shadow Strays” is in Netflix's top 10 most-watched at #7, just above Netflix's recent romantic drama “Lonely Planet.” It is doing even better in the UK, where it is #4, and of course it is #1 in its native Indonesia, where it is likely to remain for some time.

If you're looking for a real adrenaline rush and don't mind some very violent action scenes, here's why “Shadow Strays” is the jolt of excitement you need to jump-start your week...

Codename 13 (Aurora Rivero) is only 17 years old, but she's already a deadly assassin working for a shady organization called The Shadow. But when the job goes wrong, she is suspended and exiled to Jakarta.

After getting to know her neighbor boy, Monji (Ali Fikri), 13 begins to act when a violent crime syndicate murders Monji's mother and takes him hostage. She is obsessed with locating her friend and desperately searches for answers, unafraid to get her own hands dirty.

However, 13's mission to save her only friend ultimately brings her into conflict with her mentor, Ambra (Hana Malasun), and the organization that trained her to become a killer.

“Shadow Strays” has been available on Netflix for less than a week and has already received excellent reviews; on Rotten Tomatoes, it has received a high score of 87% from critics. This number is based on a relatively small sample size of only 15 cases, but it is still solid evidence that “The Shadow Strays” is worth adding to Netflix's watch list.

Simon Abrams of RogerEbert.com notes that “Tjahjanto's enthusiasm and dedication to conceptual novelty continue to rival Irfan's creativity and accomplished work with the stunt team.” Meanwhile, Barry Hertz of the Globe and Mail praised the action thriller for “finding new, inventive, and brutal ways to shuffle henchmen from this death” and for “overkill[ing] the concept of overkill.”

Katie Riffe of the AV Club said, “Ingenious methods of killing are Jajant's forte, and they come at the viewer with ferocity.” But IndieWire's David Ehrlich was more critical, saying, “Tjahjanto desperately wants to make the most badass action movie you've ever seen. If he sets his sights on making a good movie first, the rewards will be self-evident.”

Despite a few negative comments, the overall critical consensus is positive, and viewers seem to feel the same way. Shadow Strays has an 88% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, with user reviews praising the film for its “intense, adrenaline-pumping action choreography” and “one of the best action movies I've seen in a while.”

At nearly two and a half hours long, “Shadow Strays” is not a film that can be watched casually after a long workday. However, if you have time to commit to something epic, it looks to be the new winner of Netflix's action thrillers. Just be prepared to deal with a lot of fake blood before you hit the play button, as it gets pretty violent.

“Shadow Strays” is another winner for Netflix's international film library, and it's great to see U.S. viewers embracing a film that should be watched with subtitles (an English dubbed version is also available, but best watched with the original Indonesian language track ). If you like movies like “John Wick” and “The Raid,” you need to stream “Shadow Strays” now.

And if pulp action isn't your thing, here are some new TV shows and movies coming to Netflix this week. Or you can catch up with Netflix's current #1 favorite, a looming crime thriller starring (and directed by) Anna Kendrick.

Watch “Shadow Strays” on Netflix now