Review: Skyscraper

If a cliff hanger is what you desire this summer, then look no further as “Skyscraper” will deliver. Our J.P. gives his thoughts on the Dwayne Johnson action thriller.

Skyscraper
Global icon DWAYNE JOHNSON leads the cast of Legendary’s “Skyscraper” as former FBI Hostage Rescue Team leader and U.S. war veteran Will Sawyer, who now assesses security for skyscrapers. (Kimberley French / Universal Studios)

SKYSCRAPER
Universal Pictures

  • RATED: PG-13 (PARENTS STRONGLY CAUTIONED – SOME MATERIAL MAY BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 13) FOR SEQUENCES OF GUN VIOLENCE AND ACTION, AND FOR BRIEF STRONG LANGUAGE
  • Written and Directed by: Rawson Marshall Thurber
  • Producers: Beau Flynn, Dwayne Johnson, Hiram Garcia, Rawson Marshall Thurber
  • Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Neve Campbell, Chin Han, Noah Taylor, Roland Møller, Byron Mann, Pablo Schreiber, Hannah Quinlivan

Studio Synopsis:
Global icon Dwayne Johnson leads the cast of Legendary’s Skyscraper as former FBI Hostage Rescue Team leader and U.S. war veteran Will Sawyer, who now assesses security for skyscrapers. On assignment in China he finds the tallest, safest building in the world suddenly ablaze, and he’s been framed for it. A wanted man on the run, Will must find those responsible, clear his name and somehow rescue his family who is trapped inside the building…above the fire line. Written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber (Central Intelligence, We’re the Millers), the 3D action-thriller is produced by Beau Flynn (San Andreas, Baywatch), Johnson, Thurber and Hiram Garcia (San Andreas, Central Intelligence). Skyscraper’s executive producers are Dany Garcia (Baywatch, Ballers), Wendy Jacobson (San Andreas), Eric McLeod (Kong: Skull Island, Pirates of the Caribbean series) and Eric Hedayat (The Great Wall, Real Steel).


J.P.’s Take:
If a cliff hanger is what you desire this summer, then look no further as “Skyscraper” will deliver.

Skyscraper
Dr. Sarah Sawyer (NEVE CAMPBELL). (Kimberley French / Universal Studios)

Now, I know what some of you may be thinking, it’s simply a repackaged “Die Hard”-type film that is ladened with more extreme action sequences than ever. You’d be correct on that respect. It’s more concerned with providing thrills and spills of similar films of the late 80’s. It also stars the newly-minted, action hero giant Dwayne Johnson, whose prowess for exuding charm while oozing masculinity is abound.

Is it fun? On the grounds that this is a showcase for the actor, formally known as “The Rock,” to stretch his legs in the skill of performing death defying stunts. Johnson performs some Herculean feats, which includes an impossible leap from the arm of a crane, running through an inferno of a burning build, or hanging from his fingertips several stories high. He even scales the side of the fictitious world’s tallest said skyscraper called “The Pearl” like Spider-Man.

The ubiquity of showdowns with Euro trash baddies and a hail storm of gun fire can be found throughout this cliff hanger as well. That’s what this film does best … keep you on the edge of your seat. And the film tries it’s best to keep this up for the 102 minute running time.

Does it have heart? There is a family drama element added in for grounding sake. The plot surrounding Will Sawyer’s (Johnson) wife Sarah (Neve Campbell) and kids, Henry (Noah Cottrell) and Georgia (McKenna Roberts), who are trapped the inflamed skyscraper. The film does provide some kind of emotional anchor to moment of chaos. Of course, that emotional tie is short lived, once the shooting and inferno arise.

The set up for the endeavor feels a bit flimsy and allows the EFX wizards creative liberty to implement their ideas for a high tech amusement park that would become this skyscraper. You’d also think Johnson’s character was a sort of an Inspector Gadget. His prosthetic leg serves as a multi-tool, which gets him out of more sticky situations than a rescue crew. Many of us would know the running joke about Duct Tape, as it too becomes Will’s tool of choice. It is the fix all to fix alls. Got a bullet wound? Seal it up with duct tape. A couple of scenes like this are done to comical effect.

Skyscraper
HANNAH QUINLIVAN as assassin Xia. (Kimberley French / Universal Studios)

In terms of the cast, all performers played their part, including the run of the mill villains. Dwayne Johnson, as mentioned before, has the ability to make a character like Will Sawyer seem human and super hero-ish. Even though he’s the main character to some degree, it’s Neve Campbell that steals a little bit of his shine. Simply put, she’s a mother and there’s nothing a mother won’t do to protect her offspring; and being the ex-military doctor, she, too, has some fight in her. Rolland Moller as terrorist Kores Botha can be placed in any action film — just give him a gun and a motive and he’s off and running. There was something cold-blooded about the way he portrays Botha though. Hannah Quinlivan is Xia, one of Hong Kong’s deadliest assassins, has ice in her veins. She has good looks and I liked her icy style of playing her role.

Rounding out the cast are: Noah Taylor played the sniveling insurance director turned terrorist Mr. Pierce; Tzi Ma as fire Chief Sheng; Chin Han as multi-millionaire hotelier Zhao Long Ji; Byron Mann as Inspector Wu; and Pablo Schreiber as Will’s “good” buddy Ben.

When it was all said and done, I have to admit I squirmed a bit and cringed in moments. But it’s all a plot and storyline we’ve seen before, just different players placed in different scenarios. Although it’s not the story we’re most concerned with, just the fact that the hero comes out on top and that’s it’s all done with effervescence and moxie.

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