When deciding to reboot a cult film, two questions must be asked. One: Has enough time passed? Two: Can we do it better or different?
If either of these results in “No,” don’t make the movie.
In the case of 2016’s Point Break the answer to both of those questions is unequivocally “No.” Yet, somehow, here I am reviewing it. Directed by Ericson Core and starring Luke Bracey and Edgar Ramirez, this movie is a reminder that some things are best left untouched.
If you haven’t seen Katheryn Bigalow’s 1991 Point Break you may like this movie. It’s well shot, the pacing and framing is dynamic and, to boot, the soundtrack is well suited to the story. However, if you have seen the original, take away everything that made it awesome and replace it with lacklustre acting and a weak plot line. What’s left is a movie that never should have left the pitching stage.
Johnny Utah (Bracey) is an adrenaline junkie who joins the FBI and, conveniently, his first case is about extreme sport fanatics. His targets are pulling off massive heists and escaping via amazing and death defying stunts that include parachuting, surfing, snowboarding, rock climbing, etc (just think of any crazy reason to buy a Go-Pro these guys do it). Utah is dispatched to infiltrate the scene and gather evidence to put these cavalier criminals to justice.
Luckily, Utah himself can do all these things because he’s fearless (and it says so in the script). He quickly assimilates with his like-minded comrades and, as friendships and relationships quickly start to bloom, the choice must be made of which side he is on.
Props to this movie (compared to the original) for expanding overseas. In this modern edition we see vast European mountains and South American gorges. It’s very pretty imagery, but barely masks poor character development and some wooden performances. The impetus of the characters seems way too far-fetched, and the love story is clearly tacked-on to fill screen time. Also, most of this movie feels like a Red Bull commercial and, although it’s exhilarating to watch, modern filmgoers expect substance as well as style.
Despite the extraordinary antics of Point Break‘s bad guys, the greatest crime is the way the 2015 version steals the soul of the original. Getting the audience to care is the biggest hurdle to overcome.