MAGIC MIKE XXL DVD (2015)

SYNOPSIS: Three years after he bowed out of the stripper life at the top of his game, Mike finds the remaining Kings of Tampa likewise ready to throw in the towel. But they want to do it their way: burning down the house in one last blow-out performance in Myrtle Beach, and with Magic Mike, the legendary headliner sharing the spotlight with them. On the road to their final show, with whistle stops in Jacksonville and Savannah to renew old acquaintances and make new friends, Mike and the guys learn some new moves and shake off the past in surprising ways.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Magic Mike XXL not only loses its star Matthew McConaughey but also the story which makes the original Magic Mike so endearing.

It has been three years since Mike Lane aka Magic Mike (Channing Tatum) left the stripping industry to start his own furniture company. With his girlfriend rejecting his proposal and his business going nowhere, Mike decides to join the remaining Kings of Tampa for a weekend trip to Myrtle Beach for a stripping convention and end their stripping career on a high note.

Ultimately, Magic Mike XXL barely contains a story in fact the entire movie is stringed together by a series of loose scenes consisting nothing but a road trip on a food truck, meeting old friends, abs and G-strings. Making the affair even more dreading is a draggy flirtation scene between Mike and a photographer, Zoe (Amber Heard) on a beach followed by another long scene that sees Mike and gang seducing a group of middle-aged woman including Zoe’s mother, Nancy played by Four Weddings and A Funeral actress Andie MacDowell. 

Steven Soderbergh has the knack for combining serious storytelling with cheesy fun. His regular collaborator Greogory Jacobs (Wind Chill) who took over the helm however has no clue to make a stripper movie interesting except for an impromptu dance segment by Big Dick Richie (Joe Manganiello) at a convenience store. You still get all the slick moves by Tatum, lots of dry hump and gyrating but I’m sure wasn’t impressed by all the crotch-in-your-face moves.

Maybe Magic Mike XXL is not tailored for the straight men crowd. In the first movie, there was enough interesting narrative to keep things moving. A mentor and protégé relationship, the kid’s downward spiral and Mike’s struggle with his dream just to name a few. Filled with silly banter, boring ramblings, the sequel is a disappointment through and through. Still, Magic Mike XXL is going to deserve a half star more because the last 20 minutes is an insane choreography of sexy moves, music and thongs. 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The Moves of 'Magic Mike XXL' is an 8 minutes feature that mainly touches on the dance choreography.

AUDIO/VISUAL:

Steven Soderbergh shot this so you expect a certain level of standard. Detailing and skintones are reproduced with no noticeable issues though generally it looks soft. Dance music and crowd effects ruled the surround sound. You will love the audio if you love to party. 

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee