Dwayne Johnson can’t save ‘Skyscraper’ from itself: a dumb, cliched knock off of ‘Die Hard’
“This is stupid,” says Dwayne Johnson as Will Sawyer, climbing back out on the ledge of the giant building in Skyscraper, his latest action film centering on a former FBI Hostage Rescue Team leader and U.S. war veteran now trapped in the middle of a hostage and violent take over of an amazing new building.
As the words grace the screen, the audience smiles and nods, because most of the film is indeed “stupid.”
Sawyer now assesses security for skyscrapers and has taken a job in China. This has been billed as the tallest, safest building in the world, but is suddenly under attack and his family is trapped inside of the fiery building. He is viewed as a threat by the police and engages in crazy stunts to enter the building and navigate the chaos.
Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber (Central Intelligence, We’re the Millers, Dodgeball) Skyscraper is a mess of a film, ripe for an attack from the Mystery Science Theater troupe. Riddled with cliche and plot holes, Johnson’s Will overcomes ridiculous circumstances with ridiculous actions.
Unlike Die Hard, nothing really changes for the main cast. Neve Campbell plays his spouse and is the highlight of the film in many ways with an otherwise forgettable cast: Chin Han, Noah Taylor, Roland Møller, Byron Mann, Pablo Schreiber, and Hannah Quinlivan.
The film is the product of Beau Flynn, a producer making thoughtless and inane films like Rampage, Baywatch, Hercules, San Andreas – riding the popularity of The Rock to build a career and wealth.
Just like most of Flynn’s work, Skyscraper is predictable, designed to be amusing, but never entertaining. It’s humorous at times, but never funny. Johnson defies physics, the effects of smoke and physical limitations to become the film’s superman.
Skyscraper earns 1 star out of 5 stars
The Rock’s charisma and physical strength can’t rescue the film, but add a half of star, a full star, depending on your love of the actor. The cliches are so bad, we could create a list, but I’ll leave that for the Rifftrax team.