Overview
Seth Gordon directed Baywatch, an action-comedy film released in 2017 and starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron. It is loosely inspired by the television series Baywatch. The movie is about lifeguards, especially the character Mitch Buchannon. He goes on wild adventures that are not limited to rescuing swimmers. It also contains action elements, crime details, and vulgar humor instead of the simple rescue story of the original show.
Synopsis & Plot Development
Meet the Baywatch Team
Mitch Buchannon is the head of an elite lifeguard unit called Baywatch and is featured in the film in the first scene located in Emerald Bay. Buchannon is portrayed as a man who puts the beach and the community in the forefront. He goes to great lengths to protect these interests. He is also the head of an elite lifeguard unit called Baywatch. In conjunction with being an atypical lifeguard, he always works to mitigate crime and ensures safety.
During the new team member tryouts, Mitch encounters Matt Brody, played by Zac Efron. Brody is an Olympic swimmer, but his egotistical and reckless personality often butts heads with the more disciplined Mitch. He picks up the monicker ‘Vomit Comet’ after a disastrous swimming competition, but is mandated to community service on the beach. It is an ironic and funny twist that he is not a big fan of the monicker, but he has to go for the sake of taking part in the community service.
The Baywatch cast now includes returning members Stephanie Holden (Ilfenesh Hadera) and CJ Parker (Kelly Rohrbach) alongside the new recruits Summer Quinn (Alexandra Daddario) and Ronnie Greenbaum (Jon Bass), a well-meaning but socially awkward local.
Crime Comes to the Shore
While training Brody and the other recruits, Mitch discovers the suspicious activities of a wealthy businesswoman, Victoria Leeds (Priyanka Chopra), who owns the Huntley Club. Leeds is orchestrating a covert drug-running operation, smuggling narcotics through the bay and eliminating anyone who threatens her plan to purchase beachfront properties.
Even after being told to let the police handle the crime part of the business by Captain Thorpe (Rob Huebel), Mitch is Baywatch’s greatest defender and insists they need to take action. His resolve to safeguard the beach brings him into conflict not only with the lawbreakers but also with the law.
Training, Rivalry, and Teamwork
Much of the first half of the film shifts focus to the absurd rivalry between Mitch and Brody. To test Brody’s commitment, Mitch puts him through ludicrous lifeguard drills and chastises him for being self-centered. While Brody is initially irritated by Mitch’s authoritative attitude, he gradually learns the value of collaboration and collaboration as the investigation heats up.
The humor stems from Ronnie’s relationship with CJ and the slapstick moments that follow it. Over the course of the presentation, Summer changes from a static, disinterested character to an active participant, helping Brody fit in and adjust to the team’s peculiar ways.
Undercover and Under Pressure
The team’s investigation leads them to crash an exclusive yacht party that Leeds is hosting, gathering evidence of her drug smuggling operation. A wild, chaotic chase takes place with jet skis, exploding boats, and intricate stunts on the beach.
Things become serious and Mitch gets fired from Baywatch because he takes the order for a headquarter visit. This forces Brody to take control and lead the team. The recruits join forces with the senior lifeguards to take down Leeds once and for all, leading to an explosive final confrontation on the private pier of the Huntley Club.
The Final Confrontation
During the fight with Leeds, Brody demonstrates his character development and inner strength by placing himself in danger to save Mitch and the rest from the explosive confrontation. Through the efforts of the Baywatch crew, Leeds’ operation is dismantled and bystanders are rescued from the peril of explosive Leeds. Leeds is dramatically exploded on the pier, and the team is celebrated as heroes.
In the end, Mitch is back in charge as the crew accepts Brody as a full member of Baywatch. For a funny epilogue, Mitch presents the new captain of the team, in a cameo of his character from the TV show, David Hasselhoff.
Cast & Crew
- Director: Seth Gordon
- Screenwriters: Damian Shannon, Mark Swift
- Producers: Dwayne Johnson, Tom Pollock, Beau Flynn, Ivan Reitman, and others.
- Main Cast:
- Dwayne Johnson as Mitch Buchannon
- Zac Efron as Matt Brody
- Priyanka Chopra as Victoria Leeds
- Alexandra Daddario as Summer Quinn
- Kelly Rohrbach as CJ Parker
- Jon Bass as Ronnie Greenbaum
- Ilfenesh Hadera as Stephanie Holden
- Rob Huebel as Captain Thorpe
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Sgt. Ellerbee
Themes & Interpretation
Collaboration and Redemption
One of the film’s core themes is the journey of Matt Brody, a self-centered, fame-crazed athlete, to a dependable team member. He illustrates the adage that success unaccompanied by service is meaningless.
Franchise Defining Over-the-Top Heroism
While original TV show had the lifeguards trying to thwart the occasional criminal, the film adapts this idea to full-blown action comedy. Mitch’s maxim that lifeguards must “protect the bay at all costs” is a parody of the franchise’s reliance of genre on ludicrous feats.
Comedy and One’s Self Reflection
This film incorporates self-awareness by using action-movie clichés and an original series overexaggerated humor, such as through the use of slow motion, to mock both the series and the action-movie tropes.
Tone & Style
Sponsored by Seth Gordon, Baywatch is balanced with raunchy humor and stylized action. Baywatch portrays the coast with bright and ‘popping’ visuals. Coupled with the stimulating soundtrack of ‘pop’ and action-packed tunes, it is suitable for both the comedic and action-intense oil sequences.
The humor leans heavily on physical comedy, innuendo, and banter. Dwayne Johnson delivered deadpan one-liners and Zac Efron, the arrogant newcomer, provided foil lines. Underwater rescues and jet ski chase scenes, while shot with blockbuster polish, were done with purposefully ridiculous flair.
Reception
Critics were harshest with Baywatch, taking issue with the bookended by the series of crude and uneven jokes. Regardless, some were willing to overlook the satire, largely coming from fans of the original TV series for its campy tone and playful references.
The Johnson-Efron pairing as duo received acclaim as well as Priyanka Chopra’s playful villain, and the purposeful satire was well received. Notwithstanding, the film gained new life on streaming services, where it was regarded as ‘light and fun’ entertainment.
Baywatch did not perform well financially, especially considering it was meant to be a summer blockbuster. Regardless, the movie did strengthen Dwayne Johnson’s reputation as a go to action-comedy star and gave Efnron the opportunity to display his comedic skills.
Conclusion
As expected, the themes of Baywatch (2017) is a mix of absurd action, ridiculous heroics and a lot of sun comedy. Rather than aiming for an award, it chooses to embrace its ridiculousness and makes it easy to watch for anyone looking to relax.
The film simultaneously serves as an exaggerated lifeguard action movie while paying tribute to the older version of the show, which it mocks with an R-rated twist, lowbrow humor and blockbuster appeal. Baywatch does not try to be anything else other than a wild summer film and it fully embraces the camp, charm, and humor of the beachside.
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