We’ve seen this movie before. You’ve seen this movie before. So much of what’s on screen feels ripped from other films — and not in an ironic, Scream sort of way, either. The back story is absurd — the spirit of a boy killed 20 years ago has returned to haunt a high school play — and the “big reveals” lead to all kinds of eye rolling.
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Although he doesn’t get to flash his charisma here as much as in other films, Johnson remains an amiable lead with the personality and physique to be cast as a hero in a film in which the “villain” is Mother Nature itself. He does plenty of physical action sequences, an array of impressive stunts and still manages to bring a human element to his character.
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Without question, Magic Mike XXL is a much more enjoyable film than the original. Pretty much all of the dramatic elements have been moved to the side to allow the cast to have fun at every turn. Tatum once again proves he’s an excellent comedic actor and all-around likable dude. It may not be at the level of 21 Jump Street in terms of laughs, but unless you’re determined not to crack a smile because of all the beefcake it’s pretty humorous.
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The scene-stealing Piven was the best thing about the Entourage series, and not surprisingly he’s also the best thing about the film. He slips right back into the role of Gold, once again deftly blending manic intensity with sharp comebacks. While he’s probably too abrasive to carry his own show, Ari is employed in just the right doses here with plenty of vintage lines.
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In an era when so much is left to computer graphics, Fury Road is a throwback with tons of amazing stunts. Almost as jaw dropping as the quality of stunts is the quantity, as the film starts with Max’s car doing a spectacular rollover crash and rarely takes its foot off the pedal. It’s intense, innovative and surprisingly diverse given what percentage of the action is vehicle based. There are too many to single out, but suffice to say it’s truly a spectacle.
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In terms of recurrent movie themes, bringing together two wildly different personalities and having them play off each other’s quirks ranks right near the top. As such, there are countless examples of pairings that worked splendidly (Midnight Run, 48 Hours, The Heat) as well as those that fell flat (Showtime, Cop Out, Double Team). This time, it’s Reese Witherspoon (Legally Blonde) and Sofia Vergara (Modern Family) seeing what kind of chemistry they can drum up in Hot Pursuit.
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Set in 1919, shortly after the conclusion of World War I, The Water Diviner follows Joshua Connor (Crowe), an Australian farmer and, yes, water diviner whose three sons went off to war and never returned — presumably killed during the Battle of Gallipoli in 1915. Connor’s wife, Eliza, who can no longer bear the loss, commits suicide. After burying her, Joshua promises to travel to Turkey, locate his sons’ remains and bury them alongside their mother.
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