Magic Mike (film series)

MAGIC MIKE (15)

D: Steven Soderbergh

Warner Bros./Film Nation/Iron Horse (Nick Wechsler, Gregory Jacobs, Channing Tatum & Reid Carolin)

US 2012

110 mins

Drama

W: Reid Carolin

DP: Steven Soderbergh

Ed: Steven Soderbergh

Channing Tatum ('Magic' Mike Lane), Alex Pettyfer (Adam), Matt Bomer (Ken), Cody Horn (Brooke), Olivia Munn (Joanna), Matthew McConaughey (Dallas)

I'll be the first to admit that this movie looked as appealing as contracting genital herpes when it was first released. I think Channing Tatum & Alex Pettyfer are terrible 'actors' and this movie was advertised as some kind of girls-only Chippendale comedy chick flick bullshit.

What drew me to actually watch it was simply due to the fact it's directed by Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Erin Brockovich, Ocean's Eleven, et al) and he always brings a unique style to all his work. I was actually pleasant both surprised and very impressed, this turned out to be a good mix between Boogie Nights & a serious, American version of The Full Monty.

This is actually the first thing I've seen with Channing Tatum where his character has any kind of depth and development and the screenplay is a very well-written rags to riches tale with a fable of morality running through it.

From a performance perspective, Matthew McConaughey steals this movie as the greedy Master of Ceremonies and brains behind the strip troupe. Pretty boys Channing Tatum & Alex Pettyfer also deliver the best performances of their careers, without having too much to do.

6/10

Channing Tatum & Matthew McConaughey in Magic Mike

MAGIC MIKE XXL (15)

D: Gregory Jacobs

Warner Bros / Ratpac-Dune / Iron Horse (Nick Wechsler, Gregory Jacobs, Channing Tatum & Reid Carolin)

US 🇺🇸 2015

115 mins

Drama

W: Reid Carolin

DP: Peter Andrews

Ed: Mary Ann Bernard

Channing Tatum (Michael ‘Magic Mike’ Lane), Matt Bomer (Ken), Joe Manganiello (Big Dick Richie), Kevin Nash (Tarzan), Adam Rodriguez (Tito), Gabriel Iglesias (Tobias), Amber Heard (Zoe)

The original Magic Mike film in 2012 is not a film aimed at my demographic, yet I was gripped to it due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to Steven Soderbergh’s direction, a perfectly sleazy performance from Matthew McConaughey and a screenplay that focused on the warts-and-all careers surrounding male stripping, as well as a charismatic lead performance from Channing Tatum.

This 2015 sequel has at least one of those things going for it, as it completely glamourises the world of “Magic Mike” Michael Lane, as he joins up with most of the old team for a road trip to South Carolina for one big hurrah.

Any interesting plot is cast aside for this sequel, which knows exactly who the main audience is and spends most of its running time revelling in the male kit-offery.

At the very least, at least it gets Channing Tatum back as the lead, rather than Alex Pettyfer, but it does miss McConaughey’s Dallas character just as much as Steven Soderbergh’s direction.

I’m not going to pretend to be part of this film’s main demographic, but I will admit that I didn’t hate the movie.

5/10