Guess this is what happens when you let a non-comedy director do a comical movie.

I'm actually one of the few persons in the world who still likes big, dumb, overblown Michael Bay movies but the comedy in all of his movies always felt kind of awkward to me but luckily it never was the center of attention in most of his previous movies. It's therefore also surprising to see this movie taking on a comedy approach, rather than a, more typical for Bay, action approach.

And yes, I'm aware of it that Michael Bay also directed the movie "Bad Boys" and the sequel to it in the past, which is actually still more of a comedy than this movie but the big different between that movie and this one is that "Bad Boys" had some great comedy actors in it, who handled most of the comedy well and managed to still turn it into something fun, no matter how badly written or poorly directed it was. Problem with this movie is that it clearly doesn't have the right actors in it to handle its comedy. The Rock, or Dwayne Johnson as you should call him now, is arguably the only somewhat remotely experienced comedy actor in this and it's therefore also no surprise that he's the highlight of the movie and plays the best character but that's not saying much though.

The movie is a still pretty shallow one, also with its characters. But the bigger problem with them is that they aren't all that likable. I mean, they are basically some criminals, who also all do some very despicable things throughout the movie, without showing much remorse. Why should I care for any of them? And why should I root for them? And why should I laugh when they do some stupid things, that often bring others in serious danger or even pain and worse than that?

This is a pretty odd and ineffective mixture of action and comedy elements to be frank. It's not serious enough to care about it and it's just too silly to enjoy it for what it is, even though apparently it's based on a true story. You feel that if the movie would have gone for either an all out comedy or action approach, the movie still could have worked out as a pretty good and enjoyable one. At times you just don't know whether you are supposed to laugh or feel sorry, during a certain scene or for a specific character.

Guess this movie ultimately wants to be about living the American dream. The idea behind this movie really isn't all that bad, to see a bunch of not too clever bodybuilders, trying to make something of their lives and live it to the fullest, by getting rich fast, by committing, what is in their eyes, a simple and safe to execute crime.

The story isn't ever handled all that great or interestingly though. While watching this movie you often actually start to wonder what the story is supposed to be heading at, especially when it keeps on introducing new characters, played by some big name actors. It never feels like it's following a good or clear enough main plot line and the storytelling is definitely lacking focus and a point to it all.

A smaller type of Bay movie, that's also one of his lesser ones!

5/10

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A trio of bodybuilders in Florida get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Michael Bay

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Rebel Wilson and others

Current release date: April 26, 2013

Lets just say this movie won't make any of my top-lists...

There is not really enough in this movie for me to start hating it but it's still a very unremarkable attempt at comedy film-making. It never feels like it's progressing toward anything good or interesting with its story and the humor is laid on too thick.

it's the absurd type of comedy, that truly tries to be as absurd as possible, with its story, comedy and its characters as well. It really pushes things at times and even though the movie is set in the real world, it has a very out of this world kind of vibe to it. It's not exactly the realistic type of comedy but this also clearly wasn't the approach the film-makers were aiming for. The visual style and approach of this movie all feels very deliberate and a little bit too much so.

If I would had to compare this movie and its style to something, I would pick any random Wes Anderson movie. It's similar in the way that it tries to make you laugh and be funny, by doing as little as possible. It just shows you stuff and expects you to laugh at it. 'Look there's a guy and he's only wearing underwear. And guess what..he's bald! And not just that, he's fat as well! Isn't that hilarious?' Well, not really, unless he starts to do something funny or interesting, which just isn't ever enough the case with this movie. I do really feel this is a very lazy way of film-making. Some more true creativity would had been welcome for this movie.

But in all honesty. I'm probably making the movie sound worse than it in fact truly is. I mean, it's not like it ever becomes a truly bad or boring one, it's just that the movie doesn't ever really work out, in the way it so clearly- and almost desperately wants to.

Everything about this movie makes it apparent that it was nothing more than just a fast and cheap movie to make, for basically all involved. Apparently the story, on which this movie was based, got written in just a few days and it also really comes across like that. If only the writer had taken a few more days, the situations and characters in this movie would had been more fleshed out and also would had been more interesting to follow around. That way, all of the many different events and characters could had potentially connected in a better and more clever way as well, within the movie.

And the fact that this must had been a quick and simple movie to do would also explain the presence of the many great and well known actors in this. Most of the roles must have taken no longer than a couple of days to shoot and the Billy Crystal character probably has the most amount of dialog in this and he doesn't first show up until the movie is about 20 minutes in already.

But really, the cast-list is just crazy and would make you believe that this is one special and hilarious project, which clearly however isn't the case though. Let me just name some of the big names that appear in this movie; Matt Lucas, James Caan, Juno Temple, Saffron Burrows, Johnny Knoxville, Dolph Lundgren, Rebel Wilson, James Marsden, DJ Qualls, Peter Stormare, Ned Bellamy, Billy Crystal, Rosie Perez, Amanda Plummer. Impressed? Well, really no need to be and it actually brings me to another problem.

So there are many characters in this, played by some great actors but the movie is only around 90 minutes short. That means it's crammed with characters, who in the long run just don't really add enough to the movie or its story because their character's roles are just too limited within it.

The movie already has sort of disappeared into obscurity, where it belongs. It's mostly a failure but still an interesting one!

5/10

Watch trailer

A pair of bodybuilders in Florida get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Michael Bay

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Rebel Wilson and others

Current release date: April 26, 2013

After being struck and killed by lightning, a young man recounts the way he blackmailed his fellow classmates into contributing to his literary magazine. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Brian Dannelly

Starring: Rebel Wilson, Christina Hendricks, Sarah Hyland and others

Current release date: 2012

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Three friends are asked to be bridesmaids at a wedding of a woman they used to ridicule back in high school. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Leslye Headland

Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Lizzy Caplan, Rebel Wilson and others

Current release date: September 7, 2012

A comedy set in the middle of a war between rival a cappella groups and centered on a rebellious girl who joins one of the groups as an escape from her unhappy life at school. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Jason Moore

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Rebel Wilson and others

Current release date: August 10, 2012