"the perfect mix between action and comedy"

If you're in need of a good laugh and a film that will give you two hours of entertainment to turn off your brain, Baywatch is the movie that will do just that.  Strongly advertised and buzzed about in the industry as the Hollywood remake of the popular 1990's TV series of the same name that saw heroes running on a beach in slow motion to save lives.

Lieutenant Mitch Butchannon (Dwayne Johnson) and his life guard squad (known as Baywatch) are famous for protecting the beach and the community day after day; Thieves and danger are their bread and butter, their courage is admired by everyone, except the police, who want them away from their jurisdiction., however, with the determined and cold blooded Victoria Leeds (Priyanka Chopra) in town, Mitch, Stephanie (Ilfenesh Hadera), CJ (Kelly Rohrbach) and the new recruits won't stay away from danger in order to keep it safe.

As far as action packed comedy movie goes, Baywatch ticks all the boxes; it is an entertaining film that provides two hours of laugh and mindless amusement. Apart from being filled with action scenes and explosions left and right, the strongest point of the film is its comedic thread.

It is a movie that doesn't take itself too seriously and it exploits the male gaze, which was dominant in the original show, by overusing close ups on the bikini clad bodies of the main actresses and making fun of the slow motion that was always implemented when the Baywatch team was running to save the day.

The whole cast is victim and maker of the many jokes used in the film. However, Zac Efron's character is the one that gets targeted the most. Matt Brody gets all the nicknames in the book, from One Direction to High School Musical, alluding at Efron's former career as a teen heartthrob. Brody himself is made out of every American cliché possible.

He is cocky and believes that he can get away with everything because he is a 2 time Olympic Gold Medalist, however underneath all that arrogance and bravado, there is loyalty and courage. He is just a lost guy looking to redeem himself and Efron is capable of portraying all these conflicting aspects, making his character evolve throughout the film.

In spite of always being portrayed on camera as almost naked with their bodies over exposed, all the female characters have strong personalities and they are there as equals to the male protagonists. They don't shy away from making dirty jokes and even though one would think that this particular product is filled with double standards, all the heroines think outside of the box and outside of the gender norms.

As usual Dwayne Johnson carries the film on his shoulders and his character functions as the moral compass for the rest of the cast. He is respected by the team and feared by his enemies. He believes in tough love and team work. He encourages his recruits and is not afraid of putting them in their places, especially Brody.

As one can expect from a Seth Gordon's movie, Baywatch is the perfect mix between action and comedy. He pays tribute to the original TV series with a couple of nice cameos and easter eggs throughout the movie. He is capable of creating a film that entertains the audience with self-deprecating humour and the right amount of explosions and a plot that doesn't feel too trivial.