Every Tuesday, I review the newest Blu-ray releases and let you know whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping, along with a breakdown of the included extras. If you see something you like, click on the cover art to purchase the Blu-ray from Amazon, and be sure to share each week’s column on Facebook and Twitter with your friends.
“Magic Mike XXL”
WHAT: Three years after leaving the stripper life to pursue his dream of starting his own business, “Magic” Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) reunites with the remaining Kings of Tampa – Ken (Matt Bomer), Big Dick Ritchie (Joe Manganiello), Tito (Adam Rodriguez) and Tarzan (Kevin Nash) – for a road trip to the annual stripper convention in Myrtle Beach for one final performance.
WHY: One of the biggest complaints about “Magic Mike” was that it was a lot more serious than people were expecting for a film about male strippers, and “Magic Mike XXL” addresses those criticisms head-on by delivering a more upbeat and whimsical bro-fest that plays like a racier version of “Entourage.” Channing Tatum is still the star, but supporting players like Matt Bomer and Joe Manganiello are given larger roles, while new addition Jada Pinkett Smith nearly steals the whole movie. It’s everything the first film should have been and more, making up for its loose narrative structure by unabashedly pandering to the audience with show-stopping dance numbers that are so theatrical it could be turned into a traveling stage show. Though the movie is slightly ridiculous and lacking any real substance, it’s also incredibly entertaining, with rarely a dull moment despite the almost two-hour runtime. You have to respect a film that does exactly what it sets out to achieve (in this case, slow-jam beefcake cheesiness) and doesn’t apologize for it, because “Magic Mike XXL” embraces that attitude full tilt and never looks back.
EXTRAS: There’s a pair of featurettes on the film’s choreography and location shooting in Georgia, as well as an extended version of Stephen Boss’ dance sequence.
FINAL VERDICT: RENT
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