PREMISE
Mike takes to the stage again, following a business deal that went bust, leaving him broke and taking bartender gigs in Florida. Mike heads to London with a wealthy socialite who lures him with an offer he can’t refuse.
THE GOOD STUFF
STEVEN SODERBERGH- More than anything he has ever done, it is this MAGIC MIKE trilogy of all things that emphasizes that he is one of the greatest directors of all time. The main reason why all these dance sequences look so incredible is because Soderbergh knows how to shoot them better than damn near any music video director who’s ever lived. This is the guy who directed Traffic, the ocean’s trilogy, and Erin Brockovich. He’s always had style to spare, but sometimes you forget it exists because he’s always doing experimental things with independent cinema.
In my humble opinion, he is the most versatile director, quite possibly who’s ever lived, not named Steven Spielberg. He can direct any sub-genre with equal excellence as if he was a pioneer of the sub-genre itself.
THE DANCING- I’ve always perceived these MAGIC MIKE movies to be musicals with no lyrics. There are elements to these movies that are as elaborate and as intricate as any movie musical released in the last decade or so. And if one can simply get past the fact that we are dealing in the world of male strippers, then there needs to be in appreciation for how how unbelievably impressive these dancing sequences are. All of them. Literally. I defy anyone to take any movie musicals of the last 15 years and say that these MAGIC MIKE movies doesn’t measure up to the very best of them at the very least.
THE BAD STUFF
THE OVERALL STORY- I can’t help but to get this feeling that there was this feeling that this movie should be as short as humanly possible. I say this because while the characters are very entertaining, charismatic, and worth rooting for, this story is just so disjointed and spacious that the movie deserved a little bit more time to see things through when it came to them.
A good bit of the storytelling is done through montages, even though the dance sequences all run about 5 minutes apiece, and the final dance sequence of the film is just under 15 minutes. Yes, the story is cohesive and all, but ultimately your left feeling very… unsatisfied. (Accidental pun there. You’ll know what I mean if you see the movie)
THE UGLY STUFF
Nothing really. This is a very straightforward A-to-Z story that isn’t too complicated.
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Movies that are centered around dance usually are underwhelming stylistically. Usually, films let the dancing do the talking and shoot the dance sequences very straightforwardly. (stomp The yard, you got served, all of the step up movies, Battle of the Year, etc., etc.) Because of the people involved in the making of these Magic Mike films, they have always aimed to be a little bit more highbrow than literally the rest of the field. That is the case here, and that is appreciated. But it had the capability of being a lot more than what it is.
MAGIC MIKE’S LAST DANCE is in theaters now
