Skyscraper (2018) Review
4:02 AM
Don't Look Down.
This review contains spoilers.
This review contains spoilers.
Baywatch, Jumanji, Rampage and now Skyscraper. Dwayne Johnson is possibly the busiest man in Hollywood. His acting career has surged over the past few years and doesn't look like it will be slowing down any time soon as he has ten future titles that are either completed, in pre-production, announced or rumoured. Audiences kind of ignored Skyscraper though; it opened much smaller than Johnson's other recent films. While it is inferior to Jumanji, Skyscraper is in the same league as Baywatch and Rampage - maybe audiences are getting tired of Johnson making mediocre movies?
Johnson teams up once again with writer-director Rawson Marshall Thurber. Having previously worked together on Central Intelligence - a film that was overrated in my opinion - Johnson and Thurber ditch Kevin Hart and switch genres completely. While Johnson is familiar with action, Thurber is not. To Thurber's credit, it is not obvious that Skyscraper is out of his comfort zone. This is likely the first time Thurber has had over $100 million to make a film and he directs it well. I almost wish Thurber reached as high as the skyscraper itself as this film does not really look like a $100 million blockbuster. Skyscraper is a high-concept film and this simple plot results in a film without a three-act structure. This does not really give Thurber the chance to write in any character arcs or messages. Instead, Skyscraper is an action movie without any substance that provides 100 minutes of escapism and entertainment.
Not only is Dwayne Johnson one of the busiest men in Hollywood, he is probably the biggest (and I'm not talking about his size). Skyscraper is the first time where I have watched Johnson and thought that the character he is playing is distinct from Johnson himself. I don't know whether it is the writing or Johnson's performance, but Will Sawyer has signature-role potential. Will Sawyer is Johnson's most developed character in a long time. His family is well established and so is his past as an FBI agent. I liked how Will Sawyer is an amputee, something that is rarely portrayed in a Hollywood movie. Like most Dwayne Johnson films, Skyscraper has plenty of cheesy moments but as always, Johnson sells them. The multipurpose use of duct tape is silly, but when Dwayne Johnson uses it in such ridiculous ways it works. Jumping from a crane into a building is far-fetched, but when Dwayne Johnson does it it is believable. Even if he gives the same performance every time, Johnson never phones it in and fully commits.
Skyscraper does feel derivative. Not because of Die Hard and The Towering Inferno similarities - I haven't seen either film - but because it follows the same formula as previous disaster films Johnson has starred in. Specifically, San Andreas. In that film, Johnson is the father of two children and is a helicopter pilot. Even though the scenario is different, some moments just felt a little too familiar - there are only so many films where Johnson can save his children from an unexpected disaster. San Andreas includes a wife character who defies stereotypes and gets involved in the action. Skyscraper also includes a wife character, Sarah played by Neve Campbell, who has some action scenes. Campbell's Sarah is smart and puts up a good fight.
The skyscraper itself is well established and realised. It looks like an actual building. Although it is ever-so-slightly unbelievable, Thurber does a good enough job detailing the different segments and amenities that the tower has to offer that it genuinely feels real. It is impressive to think that the entire building is a computer generated image. The purpose of the sphere section at the top of the building was a little hard to understand but it provided a stylish visual for some action later on in the film (John Wick: Chapter 2 used mirrors first and better). The visual effects, in general, are well done. Every action set piece looks good and there are few moments where the use of green screen is obvious. Skyscraper isn't exactly action-packed, but because the stakes are high, there is always a sense of tension throughout the film. The best moments visually were when Will jumps from the crane into the building (even if it wouldn't technically pan out that way) and when Sarah and Henry (Noah Cottrell) use a freefalling elevator. Skyscraper is exciting and while some cinephiles will feel brain-dead after its extravagance and silliness, it will please fans of the genre and Johnson.
As already mentioned, Skyscraper's narrative is a rather simple one. However, it does attempt to surprise the audience with some small twists. The villain's motivations and agenda unravel as the film goes on. It turns out that Zhao Long Ji (Chin Han) copied and encrypted the names of criminals from Kores Botha (Roland Miller) and Botha wants the names back in his hands. Setting an entire skyscraper on fire is a little extreme but it made sense that Botha knew Zhao would take what was most important to him and run - the names would be easier to get hold of in his hands than in a secured safe. Will Sawyer's involvement in the disaster is all a case of misfortune; if he and his family did not live in the tower, they would not be affected. There is a non-twist early on that reveals that Will's work partner is in on the crime. I'm glad Thurber revealed this at the beginning and did not try to fool the audience with such an obvious and predictable 'twist'. The film's solution is the epitome of dumb but it works with what was set up earlier on; Sarah's phone is broken so Will advises her to turn it off and then back on; Sarah then tries this with the skyscraper's tablet and manages to reboot the fire safety measures. It's as simple as the film's concept and as silly as Will's love for duct tape, but it works.
Although it had the potential to start a new franchise for Johnson, Skyscraper was never going to be the slickest and most sophisticated blockbuster this summer. I had more fun watching Rampage, but I found Skyscraper more thrilling. Moviegoers should take a chance on Skyscraper as it is entertaining. Thurber could have been more ambitious with his script, but his action set pieces are dazzling yet improbable. It's forgettable, trashy fun. Skyscraper was never going to reach the heights of an action classic, but it is fun for now and whenever you're in the mood to watch The Rock escape a burning tower. Skyscraper is a popcorn movie with Dwayne Johnson, expectations were definitely not 3,500 feet high.
As already mentioned, Skyscraper's narrative is a rather simple one. However, it does attempt to surprise the audience with some small twists. The villain's motivations and agenda unravel as the film goes on. It turns out that Zhao Long Ji (Chin Han) copied and encrypted the names of criminals from Kores Botha (Roland Miller) and Botha wants the names back in his hands. Setting an entire skyscraper on fire is a little extreme but it made sense that Botha knew Zhao would take what was most important to him and run - the names would be easier to get hold of in his hands than in a secured safe. Will Sawyer's involvement in the disaster is all a case of misfortune; if he and his family did not live in the tower, they would not be affected. There is a non-twist early on that reveals that Will's work partner is in on the crime. I'm glad Thurber revealed this at the beginning and did not try to fool the audience with such an obvious and predictable 'twist'. The film's solution is the epitome of dumb but it works with what was set up earlier on; Sarah's phone is broken so Will advises her to turn it off and then back on; Sarah then tries this with the skyscraper's tablet and manages to reboot the fire safety measures. It's as simple as the film's concept and as silly as Will's love for duct tape, but it works.
Although it had the potential to start a new franchise for Johnson, Skyscraper was never going to be the slickest and most sophisticated blockbuster this summer. I had more fun watching Rampage, but I found Skyscraper more thrilling. Moviegoers should take a chance on Skyscraper as it is entertaining. Thurber could have been more ambitious with his script, but his action set pieces are dazzling yet improbable. It's forgettable, trashy fun. Skyscraper was never going to reach the heights of an action classic, but it is fun for now and whenever you're in the mood to watch The Rock escape a burning tower. Skyscraper is a popcorn movie with Dwayne Johnson, expectations were definitely not 3,500 feet high.
59
/100
What did you think of SKYSCRAPER? What has been your favourite Dwayne Johnson film from the past 12 months? - COMMENT BELOW
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