- DB
Movie Review | Skyscraper
Movie Summary: A father goes to great lengths to save his family from a burning skyscraper. (IMDb)
Just a short review for this one because... well, there's not a great deal to say about it. It's a bit of a 'fast food film' in that it might be nice while it's there, but after you're done, you'll wish you chosen something a little more substantial and satisfying.
It doesn't just suffer in comparison to Die Hard, as most action films can't compare to that classic, but it doesn't really match up to the Burj Khalifa sequence in Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol either.
It might be a different experience in IMAX rather than the regular screen I saw Skyscraper on, as Ghost Protocol in IMAX remains one of the most incredible cinematic experiences I've ever had, but I don't think the film takes advantage of the vertical dangers as much as it could have.
In fact, Skyscraper feels very much like a typical Eighties action film updated to 2018 sensibilities and audience expectations. It just feels like a very safe film, and I feel a lot more could have been done with the premise than what we get.
It's not all bad though, with Dwayne Johnson as fun to watch as ever, although I really want to see him be pushed further with his roles than what we're getting. Watching wrestling when I was younger, I know he can be an exceptional villain and this just feels like a cut-and-paste good-natured badass, even if he is a little more vulnerable than usual.
He plays this type of role extremely well and I can't fault the effort he clearly puts into everything he does, but I'd like to see something new. Everything you'd expect from his character is exactly what you get - not a negative, but don't expect any real surprises either.
Just one last note is how great it is to see Neve Campbell in a major role again. I haven't seen her in anything for years and, matching Johnson's efforts, it makes you realise how strange that absence was. I hope this is the start of her appearing in more films going forward.
Skyscraper isn't a bad film, but neither is it anything special. Dwayne Johnson is as charismatic as ever and an undeniably powerful screen presence, but the rest of the film doesn't match up. A fun way to spend 102 minutes, but not much more than that.
