At what POINT will reboots BREAK?
Once-upon-a-time (1991 to be exact) director Kathryn Bigelow introduced movie-maniacs to a fine-tuned story about two individuals who lived on opposite ends of chaos. Starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze, the adrenaline-fueled POINT BREAK is a wonderful piece that exposed us to an interesting disguise of cat-and-mouse chasing, while simultaneously providing unforgettable characters, fantastic dialog, and a solid sense of bromance!
Considering its own swag and rugged style, Bigelow’s POINT BREAK earned respect. And rightfully so! It lived through the years as one of the best. Quite frankly, it also served as a template for the now ever-so-famous FAST AND FURIOUS franchise. Most like to live in denial, but let’s keep it real. We all know where that fuse ignited from.
But much like Honey Bees, originality seems be disappearing in Hollywood, so, why not dust off those great flicks from the past and start garnering a new following. Here we are twenty-four years later and guess what title seems to be peeking from the trenches of yesteryears?
Providing its own look, style, and edge, director Ericson Core is the captain of this upgraded ship. In this version, Johnny Utah (Luke Bracey) now infiltrates an extraordinary team of extreme sports athletes masterminding a string of sophisticated corporate heists led by Bodhi (Edgar Ramirez).
Whether POINT BREAK needed a reboot or not can be argued till our faces turn blue. As a whole it has dips, but it doesn’t take away the fact that it’s an extreme experience of dare devilin’ adrenaline rush. Its scenery and action sequences place you within the action, forcing your mind, body, and soul to go along on the ride. And even though its hero is meant to be Luke Bracey, it’s Edgar Ramirez’s raw talent and darkened, neutral soul that allows a guilt-free mind-set when “rooting for the bad guy.”
Clearly Core’s aim for this piece was just about making sure the extreme of all extremes would jump off the screen and slap the shit out of you. That was well done and knowing every stunt in this film was really done by extreme sports athletes, Core’s version has a solid stock price. The film’s wingsuit seems to fail within its narrative and thinly cut characters. We can buy into their objectives seeing as we’ve embraced them before, but the upgraded versions needed something more. Off the top of my head I can’t really pinpoint what it is, but for some strange reason they all fit well – especially Ramirez – considering an empty calorie result when trying to feel the film outside of chaotic parameters.
Not a total waste, but sure doesn’t ride a surfboard as smooth as its 1991 predecessor did. If anything, its stunts would be just enough a reason to watch this flick. (If that’s your thing of course)
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Grade: C+ / Genre: Remake, Action-Adventure / Rated: PG-13 / Run Time: 1:53
Starring: Edgar Ramirez, Luke Bracey, Delroy Lindo
Directed by: Ericson Core