Film Review
Synopsis
Former FBI agent and US military veteran Will Sawyer currently evaluates skyscraper security. The tallest and safest skyscraper in the world catches fire while he is on assignment in China, and Will is falsely accused of starting it. He must discover those responsible, clear his identity, and find a way to save his family members when they get trapped inside the inferno while he is on the run with a wanted man.
General Impression
I was impressed with ‘Skyscraper’ especially because Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is my idol, but I was puzzled about the movie itself, and it was because the director has made the problematic attempt to simultaneously make you feel good about guts and tenacity while simultaneously making you feel unconcerned about the numerous bodies that are blown to pieces in a storm of automatic gunfire. This PG-13 show features countless unnecessary deaths in the name of excitement.
Critique
Here we have another action-packed Dwayne Johnson star vehicle (better known as "The Rock"). I've seen seven of these so far, and I think this strategy is starting to sound trite. This time, he is a family-oriented FBI rescue squad captain with a prosthetic limb. The Pearl is on fire, so he is frantic to save his family, but he must first overcome numerous gangsters and other difficulties along the way. His family is then trapped in the world's tallest and most impressive structure ever constructed: "The Pearl."
It would be lovely to see, but at the same time, it doesn't sound like much. However, director/writer Rawson Thurber has been working hard to turn this project into a worthwhile popcorn movie. With his bold and unexpected twists and turns, Rawson manages to give the tension and pathos some respectable direction. Instinctively, I did know what would happen, but secretly, I don't know what was going to happen. This is what makes the movie interesting because it challenges the audience's intelligence. The outcomes are most likely in the middle, and to top it all off, the movie has a good heart. The cinematography matches exactly how I imagined a lavish summer movie to look, and some of the dialogue is witty enough to make me either squint or gape in disbelief. One of the most stunning structures I've ever seen, both inside and out, is the futuristic Pearl.
Dwayne Johnson delivered as always as this endearing, feisty, and strong hero who is eager to save the day. It is awesome to see a strong man with a prosthetic leg defending his family while being tested by numerous dangers that he encounters inside and outside of the Pearl. His character, William, is highly likeable. Sarah Sawyer, who is portrayed by Neve Campbell and is William's wife, is essentially what I envision a damsel in distress to be. The character of Zhao Long Ji (Chin Han) in this film has more unexpected turns than anyone else's.
Recommendations
The movie ‘Skyscraper’ was a typical “The Rock” movie,
it was packed with action and also a feel good movie where it will satisfy your
expectations as an ending to an action movie. If I were to recommend something
about the movie, it was that the story should had at least a single twist that
would be shocking to the audience, but I think the last scene was enough to
thrill the audience and acknowledge the creativeness of the director to come up
with a twist like that on the last minute of the movie. Although the ending was
quite predictable, it was an entertaining movie, and totally worth the time
watching it.
by: Mark Lester C.