There’s a hard and fast rule as far as storytelling is concerned that states conflict is necessary to drive the plot forward. The sole reason for the existence of Gregory Jacobs’ Magic Mike XXL seems to be to disprove this notion – that and to quicken the pulse of the many female viewers who will flock to the film for its off-the-charts beefcake factor. Much like the sculpted himbos at its center, the movie opts for overwrought style in favor of substance, an exercise in empty-cinematic calories that provides temporary highs followed by hollow moments of buyer’s regret. The only dramatic concern is if Mike and his cohorts will drown in the deluge of singles that cascade upon them throughout, scenes that literally bring to life two common adages – “I’m gonna make it rain in here!” and “A fool and her money are soon parted.”
Channing Tatum returns to the title role, but instead of making women swoon by bumping and grinding, he’s content with buffing and sanding as he’s succeeded in setting up his own custom-made furniture business. However, he gets the itch to get back on stage and when his former crew call out of the blue to propose they reunite for one last hurrah, well there’s nothing holding him back. Nothing’s really changed with his cohorts, other than the fact that they all realize the end of the road is near. Thus, the trip – a visit to the Male Stripper Convention being held in Myrtle Beach – where they all want to go out in a blaze of glory. Richie (Joe Manganiello) wants to stick to the tried-and-true routines, still lamenting he’s yet to find his true love; Ken (Matt Bomer) still bares a grudge towards Mike for leaving but his New Age beliefs are helping him find some inner peace; Tito (Adam Rodriguez) has branched out into making his own kind of yogurt, with the food truck where it’s made being the crew’s mode of transportation; while Tarzan (Kevin Nash) is as quiet as ever, a rocksolid presence that belies the artist that lies within.
When I say nothing really happens, I am really not kidding. The biggest crisis screenwriter Reid Carolin can come up with is when the food truck has a minor accident, sending their DJ Tobias (Gabriel Iglesias) to the hospital and stranding them in Charleston, S.C. This requires Mike to go crawling back to an old flame (Jada Pinkett Smith) to beg for a new set of wheels and see if she’ll emcee their last hurrah. A little groveling is all it takes for this crisis to be resolved.
Obviously, the target demographic for this film isn’t going for the intricacies of the plot. Nope, they’re going for one thing and one thing only, and Jacobs and his game crew deliver much more stripping this time around. On that count, the audience should be well-satisfied. However, the ladies in the crowd should leave feeling a bit more empowered as well because if Magic does anything well, it preaches that all women are beautiful, they should all be treated with respect (they are referred to as “Queens” throughout) and that their beauty lies within. While this is not a new message, it certainly isn’t stated enough or delivered sincerely as it is here. Mike and his crew may seem like vacuous beefcakes but there’s much more to them as they treat women with respect, never exploiting, only praising them. Thus, they are the ultimate fantasy package – not only do they have chiseled abs, but they’ll raise you self-esteem as well.
In the end, Magic Mike XXL proves to be a harmless entertainment, a threadbare movie that relies on the amazing physical specimen at its core. However, it does manage to sincerely slip in a message of female empowerment that those who see the film will hopefully take to heart. Who needs a plot when you have beefcakes and bouquets?
Contact Chuck Koplinski at [email protected].
