All the right ingredients fail the pudding
Bakang Israel | Friday May 29, 2015 10:02
As already slightly hinted above regarding our main movie stars in this, Witherspoon needs no introduction. She is an Oscar award-winning actress and is featured in similar hit films such as This Means War (2012), whilst Vergara is a Colombian-American Hollywood actress better know for her role in television hit series Modern Family.
As far as Hot Pursuit is concerned it may appeal more to the female audience. It is a movie directed by Anne Fletcher for women all about ‘Girl Power’.
Fletcher’s background and resume speak for themselves. As an established director she was behind successful films such as Step Up (2006) and The Proposal (2009). In spite of having gotten in theatres like a hot potato it premiered in the second spot at the box office a fortnight back. One would think this movie means business as suggested by its bold title, but shockingly it falls short.
The opening of the film puts a grin on the viewer’s face as it kicks off with Cooper growing up in the back seat of her father’s police car.
During patrols she comes up against all sorts of criminals, making the viewer curious as to what sort of parenting this is turning out to be and as to what is to follow.
Then the comedy spark fades immediately after that, as the entire film uses Witherspoon’s sort of challenged physical state rookie nature as the element of humour, which totally fails the film, as the jokes are corny.
In light of this performance, Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Aniston do a much better job acting the fool than Witherspoon for instance looking at how they thrilled in movies like Bad Teacher as well as We’re The Millers amongst others. Perhaps this suggests that Witherspoon is much better suited for her warm romantic roles.
Hot Pursuit is also at the same time an action movie, though it might not pack the type of fierce violence like other action movies.
However, it is eventful in the sense that it does feature great action theme elements that put our protagonist against incredible odds, drug cartels, corrupt cops, gunfights and high-speed car chases.
Amongst Hot Pursuit’s few moments of brilliance, one incredible action stunt scene that rocks in the movie is of the two fugitives working together to drive a high speeding bus during a chase whilst handcuffed to each other.
This flick is an example of a movie with all the right ingredients, but no magic.
However, credit is due to the fact that it carries a bit of mystery and unpredictability.
Really there isn’t much to say about this film, it has me wondering how if it was one of the leading movies at box office in a month full of mind blowing releases.
The cinematography too is not much to write home about.
Hot Pursuit is lacking in regards to vibrant or stimulating sounds in comparison to recent comedies like Get Hard that thrilled by featuring songs by 2pac. Certainly there are much better action comedies like White Chicks, Horrible Bosses 2 and Big Momma that share a similar significant storyline like this one.
It was one of those screenings that make you wish you had gone for the other movie instead. Seeing people from the Tomorrow-land viewing walked out of the cinema with smiles on their faces revealed a glaring contrast from my peers’ tired reflection and mine after Hot Pursuit. The film premiered in Botswana this past Friday only to a handful turnout, which indicates that internationally is where is cashing in on its false pretences. It has thus far only generated $1 million dollars in all international countries and made a killing in the U.S with $30 million coming from a budget of $35 million since its May 8th official release date.
Movie: Hot Pursuit
Genre: Action, ComedyDuration: 1 hour 37 minutesAge Restriction: 13Release Date: 22 MayDirector: Anne FletcherMain Cast: Reese Witherspoon (Cooper), Sofía Vergara (Daniella Riva), Joaquín Cosio (Vicente
Cortez) and John Carroll Lynch (Captain Emmett)
Last Friday movie premiere had the audience glued to the big screen for an action comedy chick flick. Chick flicks are films intended for consumption with characterisation and storylines that appeal mostly to women.
In this one, “An uptight and by-the-book cop, Cooper (Reese Witherspoon), tries to protect outgoing widow, Riva (Sofía Vergara) froom a drug cartel informant as they race through Texas to testify against a criminal. However they have to overcome crooked cops and murderous gunmen in their pursuit”.
This week’s box office chart has a new chart topper. 1.Tomorrow-land 2. Pitch Perfect 2 3. Mad Max: Fury Road 4. Poltergeist 5. Avengers: Age of Ultron Hot Pursuit is rather a trailer nothing more fun to offer the entire duration, 5/10.