What if THE PURGE was a comedy with elements of all-nighter scavenger hunt/game films like MIDNIGHT MADNESS (1980) or GAME NIGHT? That’s the fundamental premise of JACKPOT!, Paul Feig’s latest directing outing starring John Cena, Awkwafina, and Simu Liu. Where JACKPOT! (yes the ! is part of the title) shines is the script and the actors. Feig’s directing style holds this film back from getting the top “experience now” review from me.
John Cena is always fun to see in comedies, but I’m worried he’s starting to play the same character repeatedly. As Noel, his role here isn’t much different than his in RICKY STANICKY and THE BEAR. He’s nice and supportive, and he will help you whether you want him to or not. The “you” in this movie is Awkwafina, as Katie Kim. Katie was a child actor who left Hollywood to care for her sick mom and just returned to give it a go again. She and Cena work well together on screen, especially with how they play screenwriter Rob Yescombe’s dialogue off one another.
Yescombe’s script is the biggest star here. Even if other films inspire it, it still feels fresh and clever. This R-rated flick has several laugh-out-loud scenes, but it never resorts to punching down or toilet humor, which seems like a rarity these days. It’s also an action-comedy, and while I appreciated some fun sequences, much of the action just fell flat for me. I hate to blame Feig here, but I don’t know where else it lies. Cena is obviously very capable of doing action, and while Awkwafina has a lot less experience here, this isn’t her fault at all. Simu Liu shows up as one of the main antagonists in a film with literally hundreds of them. I have always enjoyed seeing Liu onscreen, so seeing him in a film for the first time since 2023’s BARBIE was great. Cena and Awkwafina, on the other hand, are seemingly everywhere lately. Feig also brings in some actors he’s worked with a lot before for smaller parts, and they all work great to support the main cast.
Not only did the action scenes often not work for me, but it felt like Feig championed the actors to improvise dialogue. Some of it works, but it plays clunky and awkward during the many chases and fight scenes on display. I could still sense there was a strong script underneath, and I wish Feig had let that speak for itself. Thankfully, the strong performances from Cena, Awkwafina, Liu, and others kept it afloat.
JACKPOT! hits Prime Video on Thursday, August 15th.
