Director: Ericson Core
Screenplay: Kurt Wimmer
Story credits: Rick King, W. Peter Iliff, Kurt Wimmer
Rated: PG-13
Released: December 25, 2015
The Hook: I just had to compare. You know?
Ah, Point Break. I have to admit, I was skeptical with this reboot. It’s hard to hear “reboot” when you really enjoyed the original so, yeah, skeptical. You know, I’ve been feeling skeptical of a lot of movies lately, hugh? I guess it’s that kind of year.
So, I went in with an open mind because that’s how you are supposed to watch a reboot (Mostly. Ok, kind of. Ok, ok, you know you’re secretly scrutinizing everything!).
Recap!
For those of you who missed the 1991 Point Break, where have you been?! Go watch it! Go watch it right–after reading this review.
Enter Utah. Extreme sports enthusiast. I’m talking hard core. Dirt biking on mountain tops kind of thrills. Well, on one of these field trips, he and his friend tempt fate one too many times and he looses his friend. So, he turns his back on that world. Gets a job in the FBI. Turns out the FBI is on a bizarre string of crimes. The suspects are playing at a Robin Hood kind of game, except using their talents as extreme sports participants. Utah, looking over some of the case files, takes a stab a theory. It’s the kind of theory that we average sport enthusiast can kind of wrap our heads around, but kind of not. Anyway, he presents this theory to his supervisor who then authorizes him to do some recon … that escalates into non-recon levels.
Verdict!
So, we’ll start with story.
I think the overall story is something to think about it. The Robin Hood angle has been done before but it was interesting to see it play out on the back drop of extreme sports. I mean, you’re talking about wingsuits, rock climbing to extreme heights with no safety gear (I mean, not even a parachute! That’s just crazy! No, not crazy. That’s INSANE!), snowboarding off jagged kind of cliffs, … INSANE! Now, we have the Robin Hood angle, which is commendable, but there’s also another plot angle that I find intriguing as well. The reason behind these crazy stunts? Well, I don’t think it’s worth the risk, but I get why some people do. Maybe, not so much as I get why they do it, but I understand where they’re coming from (is that the same thing?). I mean, will you find peace if you come through all these crazy challenges? And there are seven of them. And will it mean the same thing if you claim fame for finishing it? I’m not saying they would do that, but accomplishing these death-defying acts will gain attention of everyone who is a part of this world. What precedent will that set? Most will say I’m overanalyzing this and I probably am. I’m just trying to justify the risk against the reward. But back to the point. The story was okay. It was a different angle and I appreciate that. And I cannot help but feel that the ending was kind of like, “That’s it? That’s how it ends?” The ending gave some closure to the plot, but it didn’t feel like closure.
Up next. The acting. To be honest, I’m not quite sure what to make of it. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t amazing. I mean, with Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool you can’t help but get excited at the fact there is no way you can see anyone else as Deadpool. I just didn’t feel that kind of buzz with this cast. I’m not sure what it is exactly. Now, that’s just me. It was good enough not to distract from the story, but I couldn’t help but feel that some of the chemistry felt forced. Luke Bracey and Edgar Ramirez were amicable on screen, but there never seemed to have that charisma that just comes together. Maybe I’m too much of a Keanu Reeves fan (don’t be hating!), but I’d like to think I’m fair. I’m stopping here because I’m rambling! And haven’t mentioned anything really about the acting ;).
That leaves cinematography. The stunts were awesome. It really was. The angles, the landscape cuts, the close-ups and pans, it all came together really nicely. I really did feel like I was flying in those wongsuits or peering down from my perch against the mountain. They were amazing! And the camera work on this film helped balance out the rest of the elements.
I don’t think I’ll add this one to my library. I’ll probably watch it again, just to give it a fair shake (sometimes it’s better the second through, right? Right?!), but I’d rent it or catch it when it comes out on Netflix, probably. Maybe. But, you have to watch it at least once. The stunts … epic. Just saying.