Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writer: Reid Carolin
Stars: Salma Hayek, Channing Tatum, Caitlin Gerard
The Magic Mike film’s have always followed a simple premise, it basically explored the life as a male stripper. The second tried to change it up a bit, and explored what it was like on the road for a male stripper. Now in ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’, Soderbergh and Carolin have decided to take the series in a completely different direction…well kind of.
‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ follows a broke Mike (Channing Tatum), who meets socialite Maxandra (Salma Hayek) while bartending at her fundraising party in Miami. After a night of lap dancing, Maxandra makes Mike a business offer to direct a jazzed-up Victorian stage play in London. Maxandra wants it to be sexier and more “empowering” for women.
An honorable mention in this film is the cameo of Mike’s stripping buddies from the first two movies, who appear via Zoom. I have to say that Tatum has enough charisma to make this story and new direction all watchable, and while I never really believed the connection between Mike and Maxandra, I enjoyed watching the sex appeal each one of their characters brought to this film. One thing I was let down by is the underuse of the dancers hired by Max and Mike, most of the dancers hired aren’t even given a name in the film. I felt their characters might have been a little under appreciated.
The strongest element of ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’, I think everyone could agree was the music and the dancing. The highlight moment for me was when, during a rehearsal, Mike shows other dancers how to “keep the connection” with an actress onstage. All that needs to be said here is ‘Ro James – Permission’, and you can thank me later.
‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ is packed with all the dancing and music you’d want in a “Magic Mike” film, even if it’s a little bit less rambunctious on the whole.
‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ is out now.
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