Watch & Remark: Baywatch

There were very few moments in this movie where I wasn't laughing, or feeling the urge to laugh. It's a hilarious remake of the old TV show, and includes the things that made that show so popular--slow-mo running, hot girls (and guys), crazy plots, and laughter. I never watched the TV show myself, but this movie looked too funny to pass up, so I convinced a few friends and we all had a great time. There's some great (and sometimes inappropriate) humor, great characters, and a crazy and hilarious plot to tie it all together.

Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron make quite the pair, and accompanied by a talented and beautiful cast, they make the most of their days in the sun.

Baywatch is looking for three new recruits, and when Olympic medalist David Brodie comes looking to serve his community service, he gets mixed up with Mitch Buchannon, the lifeguard lieutenant in charge of the Bay. Brodie's cavalier attitude doesn't settle well with Mitch, and Mitch has to struggle to earn his place while adjusting to the crazy life of a lifeguard.

There's trouble going on--more drugs are popping up around the Bay, and Mitch and his crew are prepared to fight it. Getting into shenanigans only possible on movie screens, they deal with gristly murder and a beautiful villain (Priyanka Chopra, anyone?), while saving lives and getting on a policeman's last nerve.

Buckle in for one of the funniest rides of your life, as long as you can turn off higher thinking for two hours. The entire movie feels like a running gag about the original show and movie. It even references far-fetched plots that happened in some episodes of the show, which I only guessed from context clues. There's a joke about Zac Efron's role in High School Musical, more penis jokes than you'd believe, and a good laugh about flipping the role of the villain to focus on women.

The women are sexualized, as you would expect--but the men are as well, and it makes for a great viewing experience--except for the timely appearance of a dead guy's genitals. The humor is gag-worthy but not degrading, and I feel like they struck a good balance between the two while making this movie--most likely to avoid major outrage. It's appreciated. Even the villain acknowledges that she turned to a life of crime because it was the best opportunity for a woman in her situation. It's a pretty cool movie that way, and makes up for a few of its faults in the process.

Don't expect too much from this movie--it's definitely not high-class. More like a movie you watch with your friends while you're at the beach, or force your male friends to watch so you can see them cringe at the dead man's penis. Go in ready to laugh, and prepared for a tasteful touch of gore and some explosions, and you're ready to enjoy this rollicking wave of a summer blockbuster.

Make sure you stay through the credits, because they have a gag-reel for everyone to enjoy! Until next time, stay safe on the beach folks, and trust your lifeguards.