I went to an advance screening of the new “Baywatch” movie at the MJR Troy Grand Digital Cinema 16 on Tuesday night and had a good time. Ever since I moved to L.A. for a year in 1980, I’ve been in love with the Pacific Ocean. It was love at first sight. We were both emotionally available.
I was in love with a girl from Cincinnati; but I had room in my heart for Earth’s largest ocean, too.
The movie starts off with some great principal photography of said Ocean, with some cool, beachy music.
Then the cast is introduced, with the Rock playing the Rock as in all his movies; I mean, with Dwayne Johnson playing Mitch Bucannon and Pamela Anderson knock-off Kelly Rohrbach playing CJ Parker. Kelly could be Pam’s daughter, and does a great job as the requisite hot blonde in the movie. She used to be quite the golfer, from my vast research. She puts the “ot” in hot! Cinnabons, anyone?
It was nice to see cameos by David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson. David’s cameo was pretty extended, actually.
Zac Efron plays one Matt Brody in the movie, a dumb, entitled jock who ineffectually stands up to The Rock for some welcome comic relief. They actually make a pretty good Abbott and Costello- type duo.
Zac makes a play on the brunette and strikes out swinging. Alexandra Daddario does a good job trying to keep up with CJ Parker as Summer Quinn. And when she bounces, she enters into movie history.
The story-line involves an evil woman who won the Miss World 2000 tiara, a one Priyanka Chopra. She does a great job as the villainess Victoria Leeds — and has a bit of chemistry with The Rock himself.
This movie qualifies as a worthy cinematic romp through the sand.
If you enjoy dick humor, you are in for a big treat, too.
So if you don’t want to be terrified by aliens, or see Johnny Depp’s bad imitation of Keith Richards again, this is your weekend date movie!
Look for “Baywatch” in theaters everywhere. Rated R. 116 minutes.