Formula: Magic Mike XXL - all the friends
Magic Mike is one of the least likely franchises in cinema in large part because the movies aren't that similar. Magic Mike is more of a drama about life as a male stripper looking for more. Magic Mike XXL is a road trip buddy comedy. Now Magic Mike's Last Dance is a "Put on one last show to save the theater" movie. It's wild the swings the films take, when ultimately they are all about Channing Tatum being attractive and a great dancer. Personally, I'm fine with them making a new one of these every couple years with little to no connection to the last one. Just try out every genre and story type. Magic Mike as a crime thriller. Magic Mike as a slasher movie. I'm all for it.
Last Dance sees a retired Mike (Tatum) working as a bartender for private events after his furniture business failed. At an event he's working, a rich divorcee (Salma Hayek) finds out about his past work and convinces him to come out of retirement for a private dance. Let's just say the dance goes very well. She then hires him to come out to London where she owns a theater. He's hired as the director of a new male revue. And, basically that's it. He puts together a show. We see the show. It's good and fun. The men are all very attractive with great dance moves. I'm not sure the correct way to say I'm a straight guy who still enjoyed the hell out of this that doesn't sound a little "gay panic" or defensive. It's true though.
I don't have a lot else to say about the movie. Tatum and Hayek look hot as hell. Steven Soderbergh is back as director (although did he ever really leave?) and he automatically brings competency to it. Last Dance isn't the absolute joy of XXL, but that's a high bar. It's a fitting conclusion(?) to a franchise that never needed to be a franchise.
Verdict: Weakly Recommend
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