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Summer is a time for fun-filled adventures in the great outdoors and big-budget action inside your neighborhood movie theater. And in the death-defying high-rise thriller Skyscraper, lovable action hero Dwayne Johnson brings more of the same adventure, laughs, and charm that his fans have come to expect.
Skyscraper travels to Hong Kong, where former hostage rescue agent Will Sawyer (Johnson) has been hired to test the safety and security of The Pearl, the tallest building in the world. But what starts out as an exciting high-profile job and a fun vacation with his family goes horribly wrong. The building catches fire, and the building’s anti-fire measures are shut down—and Will is framed for the disaster. To make matters even worse, his family is trapped inside. So while the local police track him, Will fights to get into the upper floors of the building to save his wife and kids.
When it comes to summer action, it doesn’t get much bigger, crazier, or over-the-top than this. As the fire rages on, Johnson’s Will climbs towers, scales buildings, and takes full advantage of the multiple rolls of duct tape that seem to show up whenever he needs it—and he does it all while all of Hong Kong watches the action play out on a gigantic television screen on the street below. This film isn’t for the faint of heart—or anyone with a fear of heights. In fact, even if you aren’t afraid of heights now, you might be after you walk out of the theater—so you might want to see it in a single-story movie theater without a multi-level parking garage.
Johnson, as always, gives it his all. Will is fierce but charming, a devoted husband and dad who will do absolutely anything for his family. And he’s joined by Neve Campbell, who gives a solid performance, showing her own strength as determination as Will’s wife, Sarah (and who, apparently, hasn’t aged in the past 20 years).
The story, however, falls short. It’s certainly contrived and more than a little bit hokey—complete with blatantly sinister bad guys on a rather sketchy mission. There are plenty of bad jokes and stunts that are unabashedly impossible. Add that to the abundance of duct tape, and it feels a bit like it could have been written by your dad and his friends after a couple of beers. But, admittedly, that just adds to the crazy summer-movie fun.
Of course, if you like your action movies to be smart and well-written, Skyscraper might be too cheesy for you. But if you’re in the mood for some brainless action thousands of feet above the ground, it’s ridiculous but entertaining.
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