GoodTrash Critique: Skyscraper

Dwayne Johnson might be the hardest working guy in Hollywood. The man doesn’t stop. He never has. I’ve been watching “The Rock” for 20 years now. I first saw him when he jumped onto a comet in the then WWF in ‘98 and went straight to the top. He floundered at first, for those who never watched wrestling. They initially brought him in as a blue chip babyface. But the audience revolted. Then he became a heel, or bad guy, and started to gain popularity. He had so much natural charisma. It only made sense that Hollywood would come calling.

Rock has become one of the biggest box office draws of this generation. Everybody loves him. He seems genuine. He has a great look. And, just pure magnetism. Needless to say, I still mark out when he makes a new movie—even if they look like Skyscraper.

In interviews, Johnson made allusions to Skyscraper being his homage to Die Hard. And certainly, those elements are there. A man with police training, a skyscraper and a group of terrorists. Yeah, that’s the base recipe for Die Hard. But, that’s not the film I kept thinking about. The way the story progresses, and even some of the shots and sequences, reminded me more of Jurassic Park—the billionaire playing God, the tech going offline, the separation of a resourceful family unit all harkens back to the dino classic.

Into the Skyscraper

Will Sawyer (Johnson) is a former FBI agent and ex-military. After a hostage situation gone wrong, he now works in security consultation. He takes his family to Hong Kong to assess the security of what is being deemed a new wonder of the world—The Pearl. The Pearl is twice as big as the Empire State Building, or something like that. As he is giving his final diagnostic rundown, terrorists hijack the building. Sawyer’s wife, Sarah (Neve Campbell) and his two children get stuck on an upper floor after a fire breaks out. Can Will be able to rescue them? Time will tell.

Look. This movie is exactly what you think it’s going to be. There is some humor, a lot of big, fiery set pieces and some token heavies that Sawyer has to run through. The film is predictable, and there are Chekhov’s Guns left and right. But, that being said, it’s still fun.

The Film Knows What It’s About

This was a struggle in Johnson’s earlier action film this year, Rampage. Skyscraper is more consistent tonally. And it has to be. The way the film is set up—campy villains, over-the-top settings, wacky sci-fi technology—allows it to pay homage to a very classic and particular style of action thriller. And it has fun doing it.

Part of that fun is due to Johnson. Look, Dwayne Johnson is a big guy. It’s hard to doubt a guy like Johnson can be put in a corner. But, his performance and the character of Will Sawyer allows for him to be sympathetic. We want to root for the guy. He has a tragic past and he’s just fighting for his family. Johnson is able to tap into something very primal, which is what allows him to connect with a wide audience. He also has a lot of wit and charm, which oozes into his characters. You can’t help but like the guy.

He’s also a perfect action star. He’s a throwback to the beefy boys of the 80s. Johnson taps into something from that timeframe and bridges it to new audiences. And he has plenty to do in Skyscraper. The set pieces are big and loud. In the big selling point of the film, he jumps from a crane into the building. He also does a lot more jumping and climbing once he’s inside.

All Hail Neve Campbell

But Johnson isn’t the only one getting in on the action. Neve Campbell is back and kicking butt. Sarah is also military and can stand on her own. While Johnson is trying to get back in to rescue his family, Sarah shows she is more than a damsel in distress. She is tough, resourceful and ready to throwdown. It’s a fun performance for Campbell fans. She gets plenty to do, and she takes the opportunity to get her hands dirty.

Skyscraper is a non-stop action thriller that more often than not delivers a few laughs and some heavy hits. It’s a prime candidate for Saturday afternoon viewings, at home or the matinee.

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