Baywatch (2017): Review

Those of you who have following me for a while would probably be surprised that I have actually been excited and waiting for the Baywatch movie to come out so that I could go see it. I usually prefer action movies and shy away from most of the recent rated R comedies because I don't like movies that rely on inappropriate and awkward situations for laughs instead of making them actually funny or clever. For some reason when I saw the trailers for Baywatch, I just wanted to see it. It probably had to do with the fact that I did watch the television show Baywatch (1989-2001) and Baywatch Nights (1995-1997) back in the 90s; that I have been seeing the photos of Zac Efron looking mighty fine and fit and can I just say "abs"; and that I tend to like the stupid comedies that The Rock has been in.  Anyway, I have been looking forward to seeing this movie and therefore watched it over the holiday weekend. I am glad to say that it was not as bad as I thought it would be, and except for a few moments, I enjoyed the whole thing. Is this a good movie? No. It is a lot of OTT fun? Yes.



Baywatch is a movie based on the 1989-2001 television show about lifeguards, known for David Hasselhoff, slow motion running shots with bounding boobs, and over the top acting. The movie version casts Dwayne Johnson as Lieutenant Mitch Bucannon, who is the a head lifeguard out of Tower 1 and who takes on three new lifeguard recruits; Matt Brody, a bad boy two time Olympic gold medalist who was brought on for publicity, played by Zack Efron; Summer Quinn, the attractive counterpart for Brody who has skills and dedication, played by Alexandra Daddario; and Ronnie the not so hot or cool kid who had dedication and really just wants to become a lifeguard, played by Jon Bass. There is also CJ Parker, played by Kelly Rohrback, the hot lifeguard that Ronnie lusts over; and Stephanie Holden, played by Ilfenesh Hadera, who is there to assist Mitch and is the most capable of the group but is really only used when needed for the plot.  While training these new cadets Mitch gets involved in investigating Victoria Leeds, played by Priyanka Chopra, who he believes is involved in some local deaths and drugs influx in his bay. Also staring: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Sargent Ellerby, and Rob Huebel as Captain Thorpe.

This movie has a very high production value and I could easily see the money that was spent to make it really shinny. It draws that attention and it is obviously that a lot of time was spent on making it the way that they wanted it to be. I don't know if it was supposed to be released in 3D but it looked like there were some moments and shots that were meant for 3D but my theatre was only showing it in 2D. It was obvious enough that I noticed.

The plot was really simple and pretty stupid but that was what I was expecting. The movie even references some of the OTT and so-not-lifeguard responsibility plots that the television show had, so it was easy to tell that although the movie was stupid it knew that it was being ridiculous. Although it was a simple and obvious plot there were not many things that I really didn't like. I could have done without the dead guys penis sequence but other than that it wasn't too much just involving laughing due to it being uncomfortable (others in the audience laughing, not me as I didn't think it was funny or necessary). Actually now that I am thinking about it the only moments that were that way (uncomfortable laughter) was related to penises.

I really enjoyed Dwayne Johnson in this movie and his over the top acting works with the tone of this movie and his interactions with others. Tone wise the movie was consistent and although the characters did not have a lot of dimension or real development the characters fit together. You could tell that none of the actors thought they were making a masterpiece so you could see in their acting that they knew the whole movie was just taking the piss.

Overall, this was enjoyable and I would see it again. I liked how the characters interplayed together. There were some moments where Zack Efron was distracting and I didn't think that the character of Stephanie Holden really was needed or fit in well (she seemed to only be there because of the same named character on the television show) but overall it was exactly what I expected the movie to be, but with me actually laughing more than I thought I would.

This is defiantly a R rated comedy for sexual inappropriate so would not recommend bring younger kinds into the movie.

My Rating: 1+
My Enjoyment Rating: 3

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017): Review

I was pleasantly surprised after watching the new King Arthur movie that it was not as bad as I was expecting it to be. It was an adequate movie version. Normally I am very judgmental and don't like movie versions that mess with the original or accepted stories but this one was close enough for me. There were components that were good, some parts that could have been a lot better, but overall it was an okay movie. There was nothing special or amazing out it but kept my interest thoughout.



King Arthur: The Legend of the Sword is the story of King Arthur this time as a boy, his uncle Vortigern, played by Jude Law decides that he wants to be king and kills his brother Uther Pendragon, played by Eric Bana. Arthur, played by Charlie Hunnam, ends up being taken in a raised in a brother where he grows up learning about being a leader on the streets. When Arthur becomes a man he ends up drawing the Sword Excalibur out of the stone, identifying himself as the true born kind. Arthur gets drawn into the battle of his uncle who wants to stay King and the people who want him destroyed. Also stating: Astrid Berges-Frisbey as The Mage; Dijimon Hounsou as Bedivere; Aiden Gillen as Bill; Freddie Fox as Rubio; Craig McGinlay as Percivel; and Tom Wu as George.



I ended up watching the movie in 3D because I didn't want to wait several hours to see the 2D version and I am really starting to think that watching movies in 3D makes the CGI look more fake and obvious. A lot of the CGI was obvious and distracting but they did have the one of the few things that I like in 3D thing floating in the air, in this movie is was the ash. There was lots of this affect.



The action blocking and editing was very chopping and I didn't like the amount of cuts that they made. There were many moments where I found myself thinking "quick, quick, slow" during these moments as this is how the film put these sequences together. There was lots of shaking cam but the only thinking really horrible were the times where things went into a GoPro shot. It really didn't go with the rest of how everything was filmed.



This movie is basically one action scene after another action scene and many of them are very similar so there is not at lot of variety in the whole movie. The plot is very simplistic and just enough to keep it going. There were moments where I think that the overall affect would have been better if the movie was rated R because if the gore was pumped up a bit it would have been better. It also had a strong magic component but as this was consistent thought-out the movie and the Arthur legend usually has magic in it worked.



I like the cast and cast interactions. Everyone did a good job with what they were given. There wasn't much plot development or a lot of time spend on the characters getting to the changes or places they end up. Some of the moments that should have been emotional choices didn't really matter because the choice was very obvious or the other people affected didn't matter. The only exception was with Blue, played by Bleu Landau and this was because his motivation was fleshed out and very understandable.

I liked this movie, but it was only average. Something that it is fine to wait until it is on demand or television to see.

My Rating: 2-

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017): Review

I loved, loved, loved the first Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) movie and have been excited to see Vol. 2 since I heard it was coming out. I have really enjoyed the trailers and have been hoping that this second installment will be as awesome and fantastic as the first. And it was, it was great and enjoyable, and as I have been thinking about it, I am having difficulty finding many things that I didn't like about it. If you liked the first one, this is a must see and it is definitely the type of movie that is worth watching on the big screen. I have watched it twice this weekend but both times were in 2D so I cannot comment on any of the 3D effects, but I am glad that there were not many moments that were obviously made for 3D viewing (which I think is overrated and usually very distracting).



Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 has all the things I enjoyed about the first one. Big budget action sequences, quipy dialogue, good chemistry and interactions between the majority of  the characters, lots of fun, incorporation of the music into the experience, CGI that isn't distracting, and a movie that accepts that it is ridiculous and doesn't take itself too seriously.

Vol. 2 brings back the main guardian's crew from the first movie as well as a few of the main supporting characters. You have Star Lord aka Peter Quill, played by Chris Pratt; Gamora, played by Zoe Saldana; Drax, played by Dave Bautista; Rocket, voiced by Bradley Cooper; Baby Groot, voiced by Vin Diesel; Yondu, played by Michael Rooker; Nebula, played by Karen Gillan, and Kraglin, played by Sean Gunn. Also introduced are Kurt Russell as Ego; Pom Klementieff as Mantis; Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha; Chris Sullivan as Taserface; and Slyvester Stalone as Staker Ogord.



This movie continues to be absolutely ridiculous just like the first one but is fun all the way through. Although the creation of the Guardians was explored in the first movie, this one focuses more on the backstory of Peter and specifically about his father. There isn't anything super complicated about the plot and what happens, but it is fun. With as many characters that are involved it could have been really disjoined but as it continued to focus mainly on Peter and the interactions between the gang, I didn't find this distracting. I am sure there were a huge amount of Easter eggs and references that I didn't get but there were not in your face where it is obviously there is something you didn't get, so the movie flowed. The pacing was very good and it even kept my interest on the second viewing. While knowing what was going to happen I was able to pay attention to things happening in the background.



I think character wise the main things I didn't like, is the chemistry felt forced between Peter and Gamora and also between Peter and Ego. Chris Pratt did a good job but I think Zoe Zaldana was a bit one note and wooden. She was also flat during her interactions with Nebula where the emotion and connection was felt from Nebula and not so much Gamora. I usually really like Kurt Russell but I didn't like Ego in this movie, it seems like a hard character to pull off and I wish I had felt more towards him one way or another.

Rocket and Groot continue to be absolutely fantastic characters and having Baby Groot was a great dynamic.  Don't have much more to say but I love these two! The music was also on point again.



The special effects and CGI was amazingly done. There wasn't a moment in the film where I was distracted by the effects or where I didn't buy it. This was surprising because there were two completely CGI characters (Rocket and Baby Groot) and basically every scene had a computer generated background. Whoever was responsible for this did great and deserve a lot of credit. It doesn't hurt that Rocket and Groot continue to be great characters.



The plot is stupid and is just enough to keep the story going. I would have liked a more obviously evil villain but the first Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) I wasn't impressed with the villain either. I liked what the movie did with Yondu but think that a bit more could have been done to evoke emotion. It was a great storyline that I would have liked more. It is hard to say too much about the plot as talking about it gives a lot away but it was very simple and at times brushed quickly over things that would have been cool to know more about. However the pacing was good, so if it gave time to some of these things is may not have flowed so well.



This movie is worth watching in the theatres and I am looking forward to the next installment. It is difficulty for me with a lot of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies with lots of characters because I like movies to spend time with the characters not just try and cram as much in as they can.  This was almost as good as the first one but still very enjoyable and lots of fun.

My Rating: 3

Make sure to stay through all the credits as there are 5 post movie scenes. My favorite is the fourth one!

The Fate of the Furious (2017): Review

weekend the newest installment of the Fast and the Furious Franchise came out and I am very glad to say this is one of the better movies of the series. I always tend to like crappy, big budget, over the top, flashy, action movies and this one satisfied what I wanted to see. I have been a fan of the Fast and the Furious movies since the first one was released in 2001. There were some mis-steps (I still don't like Dwayne "The Rock:" Johnson being incorporated into the series and he was in over acting form) and lots of the "twists" were obvious. But then again I don't go to see Fast and the Furious movies for good acting or realistic plots, I go for fun, high-jinks, rapport between characters, and car race scenes. If you plan to see this movie and enjoy the series this movie is definitely worth seeing in the theatres. You don't even have to wait a full minute into it to see the hot girls in front of cars, shot from below moment that has become a staple of these movie.

Like the last few movie installments of this series, The Fate and the Furious expects you to remember what has happened in the previous movies and timeline as well as recognize the characters (even some who had bit parts and haven't been around for a while) one site.  I don't think it matters if you don't really remember how the characters play in, just remember that if it looks like a moment that you should get, it is a reference to the moments that have already happened. Having a general understanding of the previous movies is enough to keep it going. As the plot is just enough to keep the movie moving forward it doesn't really matter much.



The Fate and the Furious bring back Dom, played by Vin Diesel; Letty, played by Michelle Rodriguez; Roman, played by Tyrese Gibson; Tej Parker, played by Ludacris; Ramsey, played by Nathalie Emmanuel; Hobbs, played by Dwayne Johnson; Deckard, played by Jason Statham; and Mr. Nobody, played by Kurt Russell. And brings in Charlize Theron as Cipher and Scott Eastwood as Little Nobody. Basically the team is brought together to do a job but during this job Dom turns rogue and goes off to work with Cipher. The team who is now working with Deckard (who also wants to get Cipher) to go up against Dom and prevent what Cipher has been planning while figuring out why Dom tuned.  How all of this occurs isn't hard to figure out and while watching the movie it didn't even seem like it was trying to hid anything. Although the plot was just enough to keep the movie going, I still enjoyed the process.

  

I could tell that money was put into the production value, and the effects, stunts, and sequences were all very well done. I enjoyed the cinematography and how everything flowed together. The sequences where different enough that I didn't get tired of one type of shot and there was a lot going on but it was still easy enough to follow. The only real complaint that I have is that there was a bit of shaky cam work at times and tight shots but overall nothing that I found too distracting or annoying. The pacing was good.

 

The acting was on par with the previous movies and overall the whole cast continues to have good comradely and chemistry. Michelle Rodrigues continues to be wooden, Dwayne Johnson continues to overact and these really stuck out with the high production value of the movie. I didn't like Charlize Theron and there seemed to be something weird going on with her face. I can't tell if it is due to plastic surgery or what she was going for but I didn't like it. She didn't seem scary or bad or interesting in anyway. She was set up to be this mastermind but I didn't get that feeling from her. I much preferred the chemistry and dynamic with Rhodes, played by Kristopher Hivju.





Overall I enjoyed this movie and it has gotten me hyped to go back and watch the series again although I didn't rate all of the movies as highly as I did this one. It was worth watching in the theaters because the chase/ race sequences are good on the big scene and it has lots of explosions and such which were fun.

My Rating: 3-

I liked how they handled not including the late Paul Walker and liked that they didn't just ignore him not being there.

Power Rangers (2017): Review

***Some slight spoilers but nothing more then basic content of television show**

Ever since I first saw the preview for the new Power Rangers movie I was excited to see it. It is a combination of a big budget action movie which I love and Mighty Morphin Power Ranger television show which is a show that I watched a lot of the original series growing up. Although I used to watch the television show a lot as a child it has been a while since I watched it and I am not familiar with many of the different variations. I like that it is a reboot but that it keeps the same names of the characters. This movie went for a lot and I am sorry to say it didn't really meet the expectations of what it was going for but it was still enjoyable. It would have been nice if the plot flowed a little better but the movie tried a bit too much to go for a serious movie.



Power Rangers is a reboot of the 1993 television show where five teenagers; Jason, played by Dacre Montgomery; Kimberly, played by Naomi Scott; Billy, played by RJ Cyler; Zack, played by Ludi Lin; and Trini, played by Becky Z, are recruited by an alien entity Zordon, played by Bryan Cranson, to become Power Rangers to save the world for Rita Repulsa, played by Elizabeth Banks. In this version, Zordon is the original Red Ranger who was fighting Rita on Earth during the time of the dinosaurs.  He sacrifices himself and buries the morphers that are the where power of the rangers come from and are responsible for selecting the next power rangers. When Rita is returned to power, the teenagers find the buried morphers which give them strength and abilities to become the new team of Power Rangers. They have to work together to connect as a team and train in order to become the team they need to be in order to take on Rita. They are assisted by Alpha 5, voiced by Bill Hader, and Zordon who has been incorporated into the computer of the space ship.

This movie really, really tired to pull me in for an emotional connection with the characters and what they are going though. I wish that the movie didn't really do this and just went with the story as it is a about kids that find crystals and an alien ship that turn them into superhero's where they use Zords (robots shaped like dinosaurs). The first half of the movie kept trying to be a serious big budget movie but then for the last act it incorporated some of the camp of the television show but this didn't go along the same felling of the beginning and middle of the movie. I wish that it was just more camp all the way around and just went for it. It just didn't feel like the movie knew what kind of movie it wanted to be.

 

There was over acting galore and there was some chemistry between the characters but it really felt forced. How the Rangers get thrown together and how they are all misunderstood by everyone around them doesn't feel genuine. The only story I connected with and thought worked was for Zack. Almost all of the interactions between the team besides the around the fire scene was just weird. I enjoyed Elizabeth Banks as Rita but would have liked her outfit to more her classic red then the green they movie went with but I understand why this change was made. She was OTT but in a good way and although she was silly I enjoyed it.

 

Overall this movie was fine but there wasn't anything really memorable about it. As I am writing this I am struggling to remember specifics about the movie. This means that there was nothing that I hated or really didn't like about the movie but it means there was nothing special about it. I would have preferred if it went more tween, family, campy film with the movie but I know that it is hard to do that now days with movies where the main characters fight.

My Rating: 2-