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James Mottram

2/5 stars
Back in 2012, Magic Mike – inspired by actor-star Channing Tatum’s early years as an exotic dancer – was a gritty film about hustlers on the make. The follow-up, Magic Mike XXL, followed the same template, to a lesser degree.
But Magic Mike’s Last Dance, the third and hopefully final escapade for Tatum’s buff stripper, feels like a bizarre, Downton Abbey-inspired fantasy that may appeal to ageing American audiences but few others.
Post-pandemic, Mike has given up stripping for a living and is now a Miami bartender. But then he meets Salma Hayek Pinault’s trophy wife, Maxandra, who is in the process of divorcing her unfaithful English husband.


No sooner has Max lured Mike to give her an erotic dance (for the princely sum of US$6,000), than she entices him to fly to London, where she plans to install him as the new director of the failing show at her spouse’s theatre, The Rattigan.
Needless to say, it’s not going to be anything like the Victorian corset drama that’s currently playing there, with Mike and Max hiring a bunch of male dancers to take centre stage.
Even Tatum’s character seems incredulous at the idea that he can lead a West End-style extravaganza, and Magic Mike’s Last Dance hardly feels like the backstage musical that it wants to be. In truth, it doesn’t know what it is – unless it’s a weak-kneed version of the hot-ticket stage show that came after the first movie.

The film is directed by Steven Soderbergh, who made the original but ducked out of the sequel. The one-time Oscar-winning filmmaker behind Traffic, The Limey and Erin Brockovich feels like he’s running on empty here, not least because the film has zero emotional core.
There’s plenty of grinding and shiny pecs, though when Max first hires Mike, it’s about as sexy as a slap in the face with a wet fish. Usually so reliable, Hayek Pinault looks faintly ridiculous throughout.
At least there’s some fun courtesy of Ayub Khan Din, who plays Max’s sniffy valet, Victor. But written by Rein Carolin, who penned the earlier Magic Mike films, this feels like a movie desperately short of ideas – not unlike 2015’s animation Minions, which also did a touristy view of London.

There is a brief appearance by Juliette Motamed, who gives an electric turn as the lead of the show. But there’s not enough of her as Mike takes to the stage for a gushingly dull finale.
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Magic Mike’s Last Dance movie review: Channing Tatum returns in Steven Soderbergh’s lame third entry in once-hot dancer/stripper series

Channing Tatum (left) and Salma Hayek Pinault in a still from Magic Mike’s Last Dance.

Salma Hayek Pinault as Maxandra (left) and Channing Tatum as Mike in a still from Magic Mike’s Last Dance, directed by Steven Soderbergh.

A still from Magic Mike’s Last Dance.

Channing Tatum as Mike (left) and Salma Hayek Pinault as Maxandra in a still from Magic Mike’s Last Dance.

Knock at the Cabin movie review: Dave Bautista leads M. Night Shyamalan’s thought-provoking apocalyptic thriller

(From left) Dave Bautista, Abby Quinn and Nikki Amuka-Bird in a still from Knock at the Cabin, directed by M. Night Shyamalan.

(From left) Abby Quinn, Dave Bautista and Rupert Grint in a still from Knock at the Cabin (category IIB), directed by M. Night Shyamalan.

(From left) Ben Aldridge as Andrew, Kristen Cui as Wen and Jonathan Groff as Eric in a still from Knock at the Cabin.

Kristen Cui in a still from Knock at the Cabin.

Jonathan Groff (left) as Eric and Dave Bautista as Leonard in a still from Knock at the Cabin.

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Ronny Chieng in a still from M3GAN. Photo: Handout

Allison Williams in a still from M3GAN. Photo: Handout

A Man Called Otto movie review: Tom Hanks plays the grumpiest man in America in Hollywood remake of Swedish hit A Man Called Ove

Tom Hanks in a still from A Man Called Otto.

Tom Hanks in a still from A Man Called Otto (category TBC), directed by Marc Forster. A Man Called Otto. Rachel Keller and Truman Hanks co-star.

Tom Hanks (left) and Mariana Trevino as Otto and his new neighbour in a still from A Man Called Otto.

Tom Hanks (right) in a still from A Man Called Otto.

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Christian Bale as Augustus Landor in a still from The Pale Blue Eye. Photo: Scott Garfield/Netflix.

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I Wanna Dance with Somebody movie review: Whitney Houston biopic starring Naomi Ackie as America’s sweetheart is a respectable retelling of singer’s story

Naomi Ackie as Whitney Houston in a still from I Wanna Dance with Somebody.

Naomi Ackie as Whitney Houston in a still from I Wanna Dance with Somebody (category IIA), directed by Kasi Lemmons. Stanley Tucci co-stars.

Stanley Tucci (left) as Clive Davis and Naomi Ackie as Whitney Houston in a still from I Wanna Dance with Somebody.

Nafessa Williams (left) as Robyn Crawford and Naomi Ackie as Whitney Houston in a still from I Wanna Dance with Somebody.

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This third and hopefully final instalment sees Channing Tatum’s male stripper hired to direct a show by a soon-to-be-divorced trophy wife, played by Salma Hayek Pinault
The film, directed by Steven Soderbergh who also directed the first movie, feels like it’s running on empty, with a lack of ideas and no emotional core


Channing Tatum’s stripper is hired by a soon-to-be-divorced trophy wife, played by Salma Hayek Pinault, to direct a West End show, in Steven Soderbergh’s dull third instalment in the once-hot series.


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An assessment or critique of a service, product or creative endeavour.  Film reviews, restaurant reviews, reviews of art exhibitions. (Eg. Crazy Rich Asians: an important film, yes, but a good one?)


Review

Review | Magic Mike’s Last Dance movie review: Channing Tatum returns in Steven Soderbergh’s lame third entry in once-hot dancer/stripper series