I grew up watching Baywatch in the 90s and I always enjoyed it when I would catch it on a Saturday which is when it would air here in the UK. I even got a kick out of Baywatch Nights, remember that? Hell, even into my 30s when I would go swimming, I would be lying if I said that the classic Baywatch theme, I’ll Be Ready would go through my head at least once.
How to Download Baywatch (2017)
Baywatch was released on May 25, 2017. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. If you like Pamela Anderson, you need to see her in Scary Movie 3.
The Movie Review
There were rumblings of a Baywatch reboot for a while. When I heard Baywatch was coming back in the form of a comedy and it would be directed by Seth Gordon I thought that was a great idea! I really enjoyed his three previous comedies, Four Christmases, Horrible Bosses and Identity Theft.
The Cast and Premise
Add to this we have an awesome cast. The Rock and Zac Efron are our leads, but we have a fun support cast as well and even a couple of big-time cameos from David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson which I got a huge kick out of. I would say that Baywatch nearly gets it perfect, but it just falls a little flat.
The premise of the movie is a lot of fun. Set in Emerald Bay, lifeguards under the leadership of Mitch Buchannon keep the people and the water safe. No matter if it is something that needs saving from a wild wave or if there is some kind of craziness going down, Mitch is always ready for action.
Recruitment and Adventure
The Baywatch team is looking for some new recruits and swimming champion, Matt Brody is the top prospect and he wants to rebuild his public image in the process. The supporting cast, C.J Parker, Stephanie Holden, Ronnie Greenbaum, and Summer Quinn are all part of the Baywatch team with Ronnie and Summer joining Matt as the trainees.
Strengths and Weaknesses
I think the actors and the characters in Baywatch are great, but the plot is rather weak. Like in most classic Baywatch episodes, the stuff the team has to do goes way beyond saving someone who is struggling in the water! I got a huge kick out of how Matt points out that they are lifeguards so why are they doing this dangerous stuff?
The Challenge Ahead
Drugs are found and the team soon finds themselves in the middle of a big conspiracy that involves drugs as well as murder and a wealthy businesswoman called Victoria Leeds who is in the middle of it all. On paper, this is a fun Baywatch caper for the team to solve, but it has some problems.
Length and Tone
To start with, the movie is way too long. It comes in at close to two hours and that makes it drag a little. I like how it pokes fun at how ridiculous Baywatch is, but at the same time, it takes itself far too seriously on some occasions. I think it would have been way better had it gone all in on being an over-the-top parody rather than trying to walk the fine line of being a parody and an action movie at the same time.
In Conclusion
By a mile, the cast makes this movie as entertaining as it is. I love the chemistry between The Rock and Zac Efron, it is how Mitch is willing to do anything to keep the beach safe, whereas Matt would rather call in the coastguard which I found amusing. Baywatch is not a bad movie at all, but I think it could have been far better than it ended up being.
