What seems like a silly Sandra Bullock-in-the-jungle chick-flick on the surface is a smartly packaged nod to feminism (spoilers)
Lack most of the jokes wit and are there a few cheesy lines slid in along the way? Yes. But, does it give off some Legally Blonde meets Indiana Jones vibes? That it does. Sandra Bullock plays Loretta Sage, a romance writer and widow, who would rather publish stories about ancient civilizations and the effects of colonialism instead of the popular but trashy series on the steamy adventures of Lovemore and Dash. Caught up in her grief, she became a recluse, who avoids making any kind of experiences other than what is happening in her artistic imagination. In comes Abigail Fairfax – a slightly obsessed billionaire turned kidnapper, convinced that she can help him to find the treasure that is mentioned in her latest book. So, Loretta´s cover model Alan aka Dash sets off to an unknown island somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean to get her back, aided by the tough and muscular Jack Trainer. What must be said is that you get what you expect. The trailer pretty much sums up the mood of the movie: a light romcom, over the top parody, humorously designed action stunts, an equally innovative as whacky plot – and of course, Channing Tatum´s bare behind covered with leeches. Nonetheless, I didn´t laugh as much as I thought I would. Even though the intention for smartly structured back-and-forths was certainly there, the comedic writing in terms of dialogue is a little underwhelming and does not compare to the quality of Bullock´s usual works. For instance, the whole ´Jack Trainer the trainer´ confusion and the twice repeated ´mummies are humans´ bit are fine and probably looked better on the page, but in execution just not quite up there. Another sore point is the slowly vanishing line between intended ridicule and cringe towards the end. Especially, the resolution to the mystery around Calaman´s tomb made me question if the film is suddenly taking itself too seriously. Are you supposed to start shifting uncomfortably in your seat, when Loretta declares that not a jewelled crown but the queen´s love for her deceased husband was the real treasure all along? Or is the audience meant to pull out their tissues, genuinely gripped by the emotional depth of the scene? Don´t get me wrong, normally I do enjoy a good old romantically sweetened moment, but these require the right balance of subtlety and meaningfulness and this movie draws its strengths from the opposite of subtle – which on the whole works pretty well. First, there is the obvious mockery of a certain type of juicy female-oriented literature that definitely wants to be judged by its cover. Channing Tatum (Alan/Dash) swooping on stage during the book tour, in his shiny white pirate shirt, swaying the blond mane of his wig and putting on a stirring dance number that probably hints at his Magic Mike skills – although less strippery – is what we need right now, to at least temporarily distract from all the bad stuff that is going on in the world. The casting in general wonderfully lifts up the comedy and evens out what might be missing at some points, by filling the story with likeable and hilarious characters. The contrary main couple of Bullock´s intelligent but a bit reserved writer and Tatum´s not as sharp but sweet cover model is rounded off with Daniel Radcliffe´s pathetically desperate villain and Brad Pitt´s confidently skilled no-nonsense action-hero. Whereas the latter brilliantly mirrors the trope of the ´strong guy´ savinng ´the helpless maiden in need´. Only in this case, he gets left behind with a shot in the head, after throwing the girl and her chair into a wheelbarrow and pushing her away from the exploding evil lair back to his tiny blue car – accompanied by the catchy 80s pop tunes of The Shadows of the Night. Which is one of many examples of the movie´s excellent use of music as poignantly amusing contrast to the happenings on the screen.
On a slightly deeper note, the glittering pink suit and least convenient jungle attire of the year, that was forced upon Loretta by her PR team, does not just serve as a flashy running-gag. While seemingly characterizing her as the leading lady, it also shows that despite that incompetent exterior, she is more than capable of fleeing from a dangerous lunatic and making her way through unknown territory. In addition, when parts of the shimmery texture are turned into a trap for their persecutors, the stereotype of the unpractically glamorous woman gets literally ripped apart. But if Bullock doesn´t play the role of the adventurer´s pretty love interest, who does? Well, it´s Channing Tatum, Alan the dashing (excuse the pun) fan favourite himself. When Jack successfully fights off Loretta´s guards, he poorly attempts to imitate his former trainer´s effectful moves, but merely hits a guy who was already down. Moreover, he is not capable of catching a gun from a one-meter distance, has packed a neck pillow and face masks for a rescue mission and on top of that, he is the one who ends up getting naked. Although, they do fall in love, it doesn´t seem like the aim of Loretta´s journey was to get herself a man, without whom she would be lost. No, they are clearly portrayed as equals – except concerning intellect, on which she has the upper-hand. I have to admit, before watching this movie, I didn´t realize how strong I was influenced by what is usually shown in these kinds of stories. During one of the final scenes, when they are swimming out of the cave and both are struggling not to get pushed down by the current, I expected him to eventually wrap his arms around her and save her from drowning. But instead, she manages to reach the other side by herself and then waits for him to come up next to her. This twist on common Hollywood gender-categorizations might open the door to a whole new genre. How about a modern angle on the make-over trope (and I don´t mean something like He´s All That)? Despite the few flaws, overall, it´s a light and fun piece of entertainment with a fresh perspective.
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