Magic Mike XXL

Dir: Gregory Jacobs

2015

*

Steven Soderbergh's original Magic Mike was an interesting, rather quirky drama. I can't say I'm really interested in male stripping but to make a compelling film about a subject many are not interested in is a rather clever trick to pull off. I was happy to watch the sequel and even though Soderbergh didn't direct it, I knew that his long-term collaborator Gregory Jacobs would probably do it justice in his place and besides, Soderbergh produced and acted as cinematographer, so how bad could it be? The answer is a resounding 'as bad as it possibly could'. Soderbergh is a hit and miss director for me, the only thing I have positive to say about this film is his cinematography. Everything else is abysmal. A definite contender for worst film of 2015. The acting is some of the poorest I have ever seen. These men aren't strippers cast for authenticity either, they are all real actors. I'm not sure the first film used improv or not, if it was then it was subtle and well done. In Magic Mike XXL (extra extra laughable) the improv is so incredibly painful to witness, your eyes and your ears will compete over which has suffered the most. The story, much like the script, feels like it was made up on the spot. The interaction between each cast member is consistently cringe-worthy, thanks for a heavy mix of smugness, bad acting and lack of direction. What is meant to be sensual just ends up being awkward and I don't mean I felt awkward watching men strip, I just felt sorry for the actors who looked as if they had been abandoned in someone else's film. I would imagine those who just wanted to watch men take their clothes off were also disappointed, as they remain fully clothed for most of the film. Everyone is horrible but the scenes with Jada Pinkett Smith and Andie MacDowell are a special kind of horrible. It seems that the thing that made the first film watchable was simply Matthew McConaughey, without him its really not worth your time.