A lifeless third installment of the series, Magic Mike’s Last Dance has a few entertaining dance numbers, but minimal anything else.
I remember when the first Magic Mike movie was released, and it was all the rage. Women flocked to the theaters and it was all anyone was talking about for a short time. I thought that Alex Pettyfer’s performance was incredibly wooden, but that there was a real spark in Channing Tatum and a few of the other guys. The dancing was strong and the choreography tight. It was a pretty good effort in an area of film (i.e. male stripping) that hadn’t really been explored before.
Magic Mike’s Last Dance is the third film in the Magic Mike trilogy. At this time, Mike has moved on from his role as a stripper and is working as a bartender at a catering company. While working an upscale party, he runs into a former client and is later propositioned by the hostess, Max, who has heard about him from her friend. After an evening together, Max makes a job offer to Mike and whisks him away for a month to create a great show overseas.
This film has absolutely no personality. Channing Tatum comes off as the only one with an identity and this is definitely not Salma Hayek’s best work (not to mention that this love story is ludicrous), but there is no character development and you never feel like the film knows what it wants to be. There is no life in it, it is just dry.
While the technical aspects of the cinematography are great in terms of framing, colors, lighting, and focus, again, there is a spark missing.
The only times that I felt a little life breathe into the film was during the dance sequences. Channing Tatum is a very strong dancer and, whether he is dancing himself or attempting to teach someone else, those are the best parts of the movie. When the other men dance, it is entertaining, but it never sparkles – very possibly because they are never highlighted in quite the same way.
There is an odd choice where the camera speeds up and people move slightly faster than normal. I don’t know what the purpose is, but it did not add to the movie. I’d say it detracted a bit. It is an odd choice.
Also, there is a narration that pipes in here and there throughout the film. Over time, you can guess what it is and where it’s coming from, but again, it feels flat and completely unnecessary.
Other than the dancing, the one thing that I appreciated most about the film was Mike asking for consent and making sure that other dancers were aware to ask for permission to touch someone they were dancing for. That was a nice touch, even down to using the song “Permission.”
Overall, Magic Mike’s Last Dance isn’t horrible, it just isn’t good. Other than a couple scenes with actual dancing and some pieces of the dance finale, this movie is extremely meh. Plus, there is no reason it should be so long.
*Note – you do not have to have seen any of the other Magic Mike films to understand this one.
Runtime: 114 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? No
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 1.75/5 Stars
Available: Free on Max, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
I remember when the first Magic Mike movie was released, and it was all the rage. Women flocked to the theaters and it was all anyone was talking about for a short time. I thought that Alex Pettyfer’s performance was incredibly wooden, but that there was a real spark in Channing Tatum and a few of the other guys. The dancing was strong and the choreography tight. It was a pretty good effort in an area of film (i.e. male stripping) that hadn’t really been explored before.
