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In 1991, future Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow made a huge splash with her beloved surfer crime thriller, Point Break. Now, cinematographer turned director Ericson Core takes a bland new cast and puts them in an extreme sports story for a striking but entirely unnecessary remake.
The new Point Break stars Luke Bracey as Johnny Utah, a former extreme athlete turned FBI trainee. When a mysterious group of criminals starts pulling off one extreme heist after another, jumping out of planes and skyscrapers as they rob the rich and give back to the poor, Utah decides that it’s his kind of case. Though no one else believes that the criminals are a group of extreme athletes seeking enlightenment, he travels the world to find them—and to join their adventures. But in bonding with the group’s leader, Bodhi (Édgar Ramírez), and falls for Samsara (Teresa Palmer), he could lose sight of his mission.
Point Break is definitely an extreme remake. Throughout the film, the characters travel through a variety of striking natural settings to jump off mountains, snowboard down cliffs, surf massive swells, and scale deadly rock faces. It’s pretty breathtaking stuff—especially in 3D. So if you love extreme sports, you’ll enjoy both the settings and the stunts.
Unfortunately, though, the rest of the film is clumsy and half-hearted. Utah faces no obstacles in his attempt to join Bodhi and his band of nameless hipster clones. They party, they jump off some cliffs, and, on occasion, they discuss their feelings. And, meanwhile, Utah finds some kind of connection with the group’s only female member (who apparently stays behind in their mountain shed to cook dinner during their death-defying adventures). But these relationships don’t feel especially convincing.
Of course, the cast doesn’t help. Bracey’s performance is wooden and uncomfortable. And though Keanu Reeves has never been the most graceful or relaxed actor, he has a kind of awkward charm that makes him endearing—something that his replacement just can’t pull off. And none of Bodhi’s band of daredevils have much of a personality, either.
Without a real emotional connection to the characters, then, the story is too simple and straightforward. Utah is just another undercover agent, putting his life at risk to bring criminals to justice. Of course, there are casualties along the way, but none of them feel especially heartbreaking. And, in the end, it all feels cheesy and melodramatic—an embarrassing tribute to a beloved film.
This updated Point Break is action-packed and attractive, but it’s otherwise entirely forgettable. You can get the same thrills from watching extreme sports on TV—and you can get a more memorable version of the story from The Fast and the Furious.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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