BAYWATCH (2017) Review
Directed by Seth Gordon
Now, this may be hard to believe, but Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the franchise booster can’t even save Baywatch. That may sound too harsh but the film does have its moments, its just the story is too thin and it feels as though the writer isn’t aware of how over-analyzed the conflict of the movie is.
The cast feels like they’ve bonded, like they’re really enjoying what they’re doing even though some scenes are actually awkward and sexist. But that’s the thing, the film feels and looks fun, but you can’t help but notice the film’s tedious, shallow and flawed story that the enjoyment vanishes not long after it starts.
Baywatch tells the story of Mick (Johnson), who gave all he has as a lifeguard for Baywatch, the beach he’s been protecting and living for many years now. But something suspicious is happening in his beach, drugs and murders. Training for new recruits as Baywatch lifeguard has never been this… complicated.
With Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron along with the female actors Alexandra Daddario, Kelly Rohrbach, Ilfenesh Hadera, Baywatch is pleasing to the eyes. And when they have fun especially when Johnson pokes fun at Efron in calling him names that are hilarious, it’s entertaining. But when the film moves forward with its story, there’s nothing special in it.
You see, Efron plays kind of dumb in the film, but he’s the only one making sense. “You’re just a lifeguard, you’re not a cop,” he says every time the team are on to something not within the limits of their job. They should at least get a help from someone who knows more about it, right? But that’s the case, they don’t. And when they do, things won’t side with them.
Maybe the story was not that big for a big screen outing. I did have plenty of laughs in the film, honestly. But the flaws and shallowness of it makes it hard to enjoy the movie as a whole.
1.5 OUT OF 5 STARS
“Baywatch” is now showing in Philippine cinemas nationwide from United International Pictures, locally distributed by Columbia Pictures. Rated R-16 by the MTRCB.