Women everywhere are buzzing about Magic Mike, so I bit the bullet and and piled into the theater to check it out. First thing to note was that there was only one man in the theater... probably dragged in by his older wife. The rest of the audience was women of all shapes, sizes, races and nationalities. Naked male flesh is a great uniting agent.
And what a spectacle of flesh it was. The cast features actors currently making hearts throb everywhere. Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Alex Pettyfer, Matthew Bomer and Matthew McConaughey all shake and strut their stuff. The plot is cliche and the ending is overly heavy on morals but that isn't why women go to see it anyway.
The movie began with lots of flashing, dancing and fine specimens of manliness. Channing Tatum, who starred in the 2006 dance film," Step Up," proves he can still move despite his action hero physique. He clearly has skill above and beyond the typical bump and grind. The other actors performed well but Tatum had the best moves.
McConaughey's role may be largely and unjustly overlooked. As the announcer and owner of the male review, he serves as greased up eye candy of the majority of the film. He also serves as the big business villain that makes Tatum's Mike appear pure and idealistic. Interestingly, I quickly noted that McConaughey is lighted differently throughout the film compared to the other actors. When Tatum and McConaughey face off over their differences McConaughey is lighted from above, with strong shadows on his face that make him appear older. He appears much older than in most of his other recent films. However, he proves that he can still move throughout the film.
The film is highly ... *clears throat* ... entertaining. At least it is until just over halfway through. Then the typical array of problems occurs and the moral lesson is offered up. Where the movie falls short is that the audience is not looking for a lesson. They are looking for a thrill and a nice smile from a mostly nude man. The moral was too heavy for the lighthearted start of the film. It resulted in a rather disappointing experience.
Fanboy verdict: ** stars... Fangirls only. Skip the theater and get the film on DVD. Watch it with a group of friends over cocktails. Skip the second half... maybe that will make it better. So not fanboy approved.
