I’m not a huge fan of remakes. I know I was in the minority, but we didn’t need a secondary version of?True Grit, and quite frankly, I never needed Andrew Garfield to reprise the role of Peter Parker. But I literally laughed out loud when I saw the news that?Point Break?(1991) was being remade. “Seriously?!” I asked. “How are they going to top Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze?”
The truth is that they never could?top?them. While they did make more ($131 million) than their budget ($105 million), the film wasn’t well received by fans of the original or critics. Unfortunately, writer Kurt Wimmer (remember the Colin Farrell remake of?Total Recall) turned in a plot that ultimately hopes to dazzle us with director Ericson Core’s focus on amazing stunts and scenic views. Sure, Ray Winstone gets to play a Feebie, and Teresa Palmer shows up in the role Lori Petty nailed. But c’mon, are we blown away?
Not exactly. There’s some eco-warrior mumbo jumbo about revering nature and doing good to liberate people from their financial constraints and material cravings. It’s a loose plot point that allows the stunts – and visuals – to shine, but we’re never quite pulled in to the bromance between Bodhi (Edgar Ramirez) and FBI agent Johnny Utah (Luke Bracey). So, yes, it looks good, but no, it’s not the mind-blowing entertainment that the producers certainly hoped it would be. Still… there are four behind-the-scenes stunt shows. It took snowboarders, surfers, wing suit flyers, and more to capture everything on camera. It’s just too bad that the stunts might be the best part of the film, so you’ll have to decide if that’s the way you’re willing to roll.