Movie Review: Baywatch

Baywatch became a worldwide cult sensation because of its unwavering dedication to preposterous melodrama, tight swimsuits and slow motion running. The film adaptation of the infamous television series pays tribute to lovable stupidity of its source material by delivering two hours of charming trash entertainment.

From the opening-credit sequence that features Dwayne Johnson emerging from the water holding a man he just saved from drowning while the title explodes over him to a climatic yacht shootout that features one of the most i movie deaths of all-time, Baywatch fully embraces the absurdity of its concept. A majority of the characters openly acknowledge how insane it is that a team of elite lifeguards have committed themselves to fighting crime and despite the insertion of some unnecessarily long action/rescue scenes, the tone rarely veers away from tongue-in-cheek. Being aware of the ridiculousness that the Baywatch brand stands for was the only way this comedic take on the series was going to work and thankfully, every single person involved with this project proved they understood that by bringing a gleefully silly attitude to the proceedings.

Adding to Baywatch's preposterous allure is a well-matched ensemble cast that fully commits to this flat-out bonkers universe. Every single actor knew exactly what was required of them and they deliver the comedic goods with visible ease. Co-leads Johnson and Zac Efron steer this ship of vulgar lunacy with the utmost confidence, the secondary lifeguards (Alexandra Daddario, Kelly Rohrbach, Jon Bass, Ilfenesh Hadera) make for amusing (albeit underutilized) sidekicks and Quantico star Priyanka Chopra does some phenomenal scenery-chewing as the drug-pushing nightclub owner that these super-lifeguards are trying to take down. With a script full of merely decent jokes that could've easily turned to shit in the wrong hands, the efforts of this group play a crucial role in making Baywatch an effective, boneheaded comedy romp. 

For better or worse, Baywatch is exactly what it promised to be. It's an adrenaline-fueled parade of sex jokes, exploitative shots of barely-dressed pretty people and cheap-looking explosions wrapped around a ludicrous plot and while this lowbrow combination will understandably grate on some audiences, I found it admirable that a film went to such great lengths to capture the spirit of its source material. It's no 21 or 22 Jump Street, but Baywatch is still a relatively funny flick that's worth checking out if you're down with gratuitous self-aware stupidity.

3.5/5 Stars