“Magic Mike’s Last Dance” was released on February 10 via Warner Bros. Pictures, and it is a disappointing epilogue to the “Magic Mike” trilogy.
The movie stars Channing Tatum (“Foxcather”) who reprises his role as Mike Lane, and Oscar nominee Salma Hayek Pinault (“Frida”) who plays the wealthy socialite Maxandra Mendoza.
The synopsis is: “Magic” Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) takes to the stage again after a long hiatus, following a business deal that went awry, which left him broke and taking bartender gigs in Miami, Florida.
For what he hopes will be one last hurrah, Mike heads to London with a wealthy woman (played by Salma Hayek Pinault) who lures him with an offer he can’t refuse, and a clandestine agenda all her own.
Once Mike discovers what she truly has in mind, everything is on the line. Will he and his new dancers (that he will have to whip into shape) be able to pull it off?
The disappointment starts in the story itself. The screenplay by Reid Carolin is silly and unimpressive since it lacks the emotional depth, substance, charm, and resonance of the two prior “Magic Mike” installments (which he also wrote).
For what is supposed to be a musical comedy, the wit and humor are hardly there. Without giving too much away, for the final feature in this trilogy, the character of Mike Lane deserved a bigger and better send-off.
The direction by Steven Soderbergh is unremarkable, overly pedantic, and it lacks the authenticity of the first two sequels, and it comes across more cynical.
Hayek Pinault and Tatum lack adequate chemistry to make this film work yet on a lighter note, the cinematography and art design are both striking and noteworthy.
The part of the rich and manipulative Maxandra, as written, is ill-suited to Hayek Pinault, utilizing none of her strengths, talents, or experiences, and it feels as if it was meant for a different type of actress to play altogether.
While the movie did have some on-point choreography featuring neat and decent dance moves from the dancers in their dance sequences, those weren’t enough to save this film. “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” falls short on so many levels, and it garners two out of five stars.
