Baywatch | |
---|---|
Directed by | Seth Gordon |
Screenplay by | Damian Shannon Mark Swift |
Story by |
|
Based on | |
Produced by |
|
Starring | |
Cinematography | Eric Steelberg |
Edited by | Peter S. Elliot |
Music by | Christopher Lennertz |
Production companies |
|
Distributed by | Paramount Pictures [1] |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 116 minutes [2] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $65–69 million [3] [2] |
Box office | $177.9 million [2] |
Baywatch is a 2017 American action comedy film directed by Seth Gordon, with a screenplay by Mark Swift and Damian Shannon, from a story by Jay Scherick, David Ronn, Thomas Lennon, and Robert Ben Garant. It is based on the television series of the same name created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bonann and takes place within the same fictional universe. [4] The film stars Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron. The story follows lifeguard Mitch Buchannon and his team who must take down a drug lord in an effort to save their beach.
Principal photography began on February 22, 2016, in Florida and Savannah, Georgia. The film premiered in Miami on May 13, 2017, and was theatrically released in the United States on May 25, by Paramount Pictures. It was a commercial success, grossing $177.9 million worldwide on a $65–69 million budget, but received negative reviews from critics. [5] [6] [7] Baywatch received five nominations at the 38th Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Picture and Worst Actor for Efron. [8]
In Emerald Bay, Florida, Lt. Mitch Buchannon is a beloved member of an elite lifeguard division known as Baywatch. The team, including second-in-command Stephanie Holden and veteran C. J. Parker, protects the beaches and the bay and are opposed by jealous beat cop Garner Ellerbee and his superior, Captain Thorpe.
On morning patrol, Mitch finds a small pouch of flakka near the Huntley Club, owned by powerful businesswoman Victoria Leeds. Later, he meets Matt Brody, an entitled Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer who expects to make the Baywatch team without trying out. Mitch and Brody compete in a variety of physical tests, which Mitch wins. As the course is ending, a mom and her two kids fall into the water and the lifeguards and Brody rush to save them. Brody makes the team along with Ronnie Greenbaum and Summer Quinn.
A private yacht catches fire and the occupants are evacuated alive by Baywatch except for city councilman Rodriguez, who dies. Suspicious, Mitch and his team continue to investigate to Ellerbee's disapproval. They infiltrate the hospital morgue where they discover that Rodriguez was murdered. The trio hide and take a video of Leeds' henchmen planting an autopsy report to cover up Rodriguez's murder, but are discovered and the recording is destroyed. Thorpe threatens to fire Mitch if he oversteps again.
Convinced Leeds is running drugs through the Huntley, Mitch and Brody go undercover and witness drugs being retrieved from barrels of fish. When they contact Ellerbee, they learn another dead body has been found on the beach. Thorpe, enraged that Mitch deserted his post, fires him, naming Brody the new lieutenant. He doesn't want the job but is forced to take it.
Brody later sees "sand grifters (beach thieves)" steal bags using a cooler. He chases them off the beach and keeps the cooler. After finding another pouch of flakka on the beach, Brody uses the cooler to steal the second victim's report from Ellerbee's desk. Bringing it to Summer, she confirms the man was killed by knife instead of a shark attack. Ronnie recognizes the victim as his friend Dave, who was working for the Huntley. Brody realizes that Mitch was right about the Huntley. Ronnie hacks into Leeds' servers, finding her plan to privatize the entire beach.
The team infiltrates a private party on Leeds' personal yacht and discover that she's been using the hull to smuggle the drugs. Brody is captured and thrown into a bait cage. A gloating Leeds reveals she bribed Thorpe to replace Mitch with Brody before pushing the cage into the water. Before Brody can drown, Summer swims to him and gives him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. However, Brody's hallucinating and realizes it is actually Mitch.
They catch up to Leeds before she can escape on a helicopter, but she captures Brody. Mitch aims a Roman candle at her and Ronnie and C. J. launch the fireworks, blowing her up. Ellerbee arrives, takes Leeds' henchmen into custody, and apologizes to Mitch. Thorpe arrives, berating Mitch for returning to the beach. Brody punches him in the face and Thorpe is arrested for his role in Leeds' plan.
Sometime later, Ronnie and Brody begin relationships with C. J. and Summer, respectively. Mitch, reinstated, announces that Summer, Ronnie, and Brody are no longer trainees and introduces them to their new captain, Casey Jean.
A Baywatch movie was first announced in 2004, although the movie became stuck in development hell over the years, with several writers penning drafts. [11] In July 2015, Sean Anders was replaced by Seth Gordon as director. [12] [13] On October 2, 2014, Dwayne Johnson was attached to star in the lead role, and Justin Malen was set to rewrite the script. [14] Damian Shannon and Mark Swift wrote the latest draft, and the film would be comedic in style. [12] On August 10, 2015, Zac Efron signed on to star in the film, and Beau Flynn and Ivan Reitman joined to produce with Johnson's Seven Bucks Productions. [15] [16] On November 9, 2015, Deadline reported that seven actresses were among the short list testing for the lead female role, Alexandra Daddario, Ashley Benson, Nina Dobrev, Alexandra Shipp, Shelley Hennig, Bianca A. Santos, and Denyse Tontz. [17] On November 18, 2015, Johnson confirmed Daddario would play Summer, a lifeguard, and the love interest of Efron's character. [18] [19]
On January 4, 2016, Kelly Rohrbach's casting as C. J. Parker was confirmed by Johnson's Instagram post. [20] Damian Shannon and Mark Swift wrote the screenplay, while the final list of producers were Johnson along with his partner Dany Garcia, through their Seven Bucks Productions, as well as Flynn, Reitman, Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bonann. [20] On January 20, 2016, Johnson again posted on his Instagram about casting Ilfenesh Hadera as Johnson's love interest. [21] On January 27, 2016, Jon Bass was cast in the film to play Ronnie, a funny, awkward, and skilled disco dancer at the beach, who falls in love with Parker. [22] On February 12, 2016, Hannibal Buress joined the cast of the film to play a bay community local. [23] On February 17, 2016, Priyanka Chopra signed on to star as the antagonist in the film. [24] The role was originally written for a male. In March 2016, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II joined the cast as Ellerbee, a police officer who is constantly reminding Mitch that being a lifeguard, he has no actual jurisdiction on the beach. [25] Jack Kesy and Amin Joseph were also cast in the film. [26] Vine (later YouTube) star Logan Paul announced that he was in the film, but his scenes were later cut. [27] [28] [29] Izabel Goulart also appeared. [30] NFL players Vernon Davis and Arian Foster also have cameo appearances in the film. [31] [32]
Principal photography on the film began on February 22, 2016, in Deerfield Beach, Florida, with the setting in Broward County, Florida, while the TV series was set in Malibu, California. [33] The film was shot in Miami and Savannah, Georgia. [23] [34] [35] In late March 2016, filming started in Tybee Island, Georgia. [36] Filming wrapped on May 18, 2016. [3]
In January 2016, Paramount Pictures scheduled Baywatch for a May 19, 2017 release, which was originally scheduled for a sequel to Terminator Genisys . [37] In December 2016, Paramount pushed the release date back one week to May 26, 2017, to avoid competition with Alien: Covenant . [38] In April 2017, the film was moved one day earlier, to avoid direct competition with Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales . [39]
Baywatch was released on Digital HD on August 15, 2017 [40] and on Blu-ray and DVD on August 29, 2017. [41]
Baywatch grossed $58.1 million in the United States and Canada and $119.8 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $177.9 million, against a production budget of $69 million (not including marketing and distribution costs). [2]
In the United States and Canada, the film was initially projected to gross around $40 million from 3,642 theaters over its five-day opening weekend, with the studio predicting a more conservative $30 million debut. [42] [43] It made $1.25 million at 2,554 theaters from Wednesday night previews, similar to fellow mid-week R-rated releases We're the Millers ($1.7 million) and Let's Be Cops ($1.2 million). [44] However, after making $4.6 million on its opening day (including Wednesday night previews) and $5.7 million on Friday, five-day projections were lowered to $25 million. It ended up grossing $18.5 million in its opening weekend (for a five-day total of $27.7 million), finishing third at the box office, behind Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales ($63 million) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ($20.9 million). [7] [45] In its second weekend the film grossed $8.8 million (a drop of 52.5%), finishing 5th at the box office. [46]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 17% of 246 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4/10.The website's consensus reads: "Baywatch takes its source material's jiggle factor to R-rated levels, but lacks the original's campy charm – and leaves its charming stars flailing in the shallows." [47] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 37 out of 100, based on 47 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews. [48] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported filmgoers gave it a 76% overall positive score. [5] [7] Dwayne Johnson responded to critics' reviews, saying that the film was made for fans and that they loved it. [49] [6]
Writing for Rolling Stone , Peter Travers praised the "easy rapport" of Johnson and Efron while saying, "what [the film] needs more is a functional script". Travers rated it two out of four stars and said, "Think of yourself sitting down for a big two-hour wallow in instant stupid with a vat of popcorn, slathered in fake butter and possibly a mound of melted M&Ms on top. It feels great chugging it down, then your stomach hurts, your head aches and you puke the whole thing up so you can forget about it in the morning. That's Baywatch in a nutshell." [50] Owen Gleiberman of Variety called it "stupidly entertaining... for a while" but was critical of the plot. [51] Brian Truitt of USA Today gave the film two out of four stars, and said that while the film has all the elements you would expect "the remake yearns to be both sendup farce and straight action film, tripping along the way and failing to grasp either." [52] Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 1.5 out of 4 stars, writing: "As was the case with CHiPs , The Dukes of Hazzard , The Beverly Hillbillies , Car 54, Where Are You? and I'll just stop there, when you make films from junk TV, more often than not you're going to wind up with a junk movie." [53]
Year | Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Movie: Comedy Actor | Dwayne Johnson | Nominated | [54] |
Zac Efron | Won | ||||
Choice Movie: Comedy Actress | Alexandra Daddario | Nominated | |||
Choice Movie: Villain | Priyanka Chopra | Nominated | |||
Choice Movie: Ship | Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron | Nominated | |||
Golden Schmoes Awards | Best T&A of the Year | Alexandra Daddario | Won | ||
2018 | 38th Golden Raspberry Awards | Worst Picture | Michael Berk, Gregory J. Bonann, Beau Flynn, Ivan Reitman, Douglas Schwartz | Nominated | [8] |
Worst Screenplay | Damian Shannon, Mark Swift, Jay Scherick, David Ronn, Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant | Nominated | |||
Worst Actor | Zac Efron | Nominated | |||
Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel | Nominated | ||||
The Razzie Nominee So Rotten You Loved It | Won |
In May 2017, producer Beau Flynn revealed plans for a sequel were in development, with the project's story already written. Damian Shannon and Mark Swift were stated to be returning to their roles as co-screenwriters, while the plot would revolve around the titular team's adventures in traveling to a different environment overseas. Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron entered early negotiations to reprise their roles, while the remaining cast were expected to also return in the potential sequel. [55]
Baywatch is an American drama television series about lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, and Hawaii, starring David Hasselhoff. It was created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bonann, who produced the show throughout its 11–season run. The series focuses on both professional and personal challenges faced by the characters, portrayed by a large rotating ensemble cast that includes Pamela Anderson, Alexandra Paul, Gregory Alan Williams, Jeremy Jackson, Parker Stevenson, David Chokachi, Billy Warlock, Erika Eleniak, David Charvet, Yasmine Bleeth, and Nicole Eggert.
Casey Jean "C.J." Parker is a fictional character from the television series Baywatch. Portrayed by Pamela Anderson, she was one of the most popular and longest serving characters who appeared in five seasons of the series. Kelly Rohrbach plays her in the 2017 film.
Zachary David Alexander Efron is an American actor. Efron began acting professionally in the early 2000s and rose to prominence as a teen idol for his leading role as Troy Bolton in the High School Musical trilogy (2006–2008). During this time, he also starred in the musical film Hairspray (2007) and the comedy film 17 Again (2009).
Seth Lewis Gordon is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and film editor.
David John Franco is an American actor and filmmaker. He began his career with small roles in films such as Superbad (2007) and Charlie St. Cloud (2010). Following a starring role in the ninth and final season of the comedy series Scrubs, Franco had his film breakthrough as a supporting role in the buddy comedy film 21 Jump Street (2012).
Neighbors is a 2014 American bromantic comedy film directed by Nicholas Stoller and written by Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O'Brien. The film stars Seth Rogen and Zac Efron, with Rose Byrne, Dave Franco, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse in supporting roles. The plot follows a couple who come into conflict with a fraternity that has recently moved in next door, which leads them into an all-out war.
American actor and professional wrestler Dwayne Johnson, also known by his ring name The Rock, is one of the highest-paid and highest-grossing actors of all time. His films have grossed over $3.5 billion in North America and over $12.5 billion worldwide.
We Are Your Friends is a 2015 drama film directed by Max Joseph and with a screenplay by Joseph and Meaghan Oppenheimer, from a story by Richard Silverman. The film stars Zac Efron, Emily Ratajkowski and Wes Bentley, and follows a young Los Angeles DJ trying to make it in the music industry and figure out life with his friends.
The Greatest Showman is a 2017 American biographical musical drama film directed by Michael Gracey from a screenplay by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon, based on a story by Bicks. The film stars an ensemble cast led by Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, and Zendaya. Featuring nine original songs written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and an original musical orchestral score composed by John Debney and Joseph Trapanese, the film is a heavily fictionalized depiction of the life of P. T. Barnum, a showman and entertainer who created the Barnum & Bailey Circus, and its star attractions.
Collide is a 2016 action thriller film directed by Eran Creevy, who also co-wrote it with F. Scott Frazier. The film stars Nicholas Hoult, Felicity Jones, Marwan Kenzari, Ben Kingsley, and Anthony Hopkins. The plot follows two young Americans living in Germany who must complete a drug theft from a crime boss in order to pay for a medical operation.
Dirty Grandpa is a 2016 American comedy film about a lawyer who drives his grandfather to Florida during spring break. The film was directed by Dan Mazer and written by John Phillips. It stars Robert De Niro and Zac Efron in the leading roles, with Aubrey Plaza, Zoey Deutch, Julianne Hough and Dermot Mulroney in supporting roles. It was filmed on location in Atlanta from January 19 to May 9, 2015.
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is a 2016 American comedy film directed by Nicholas Stoller and written by Stoller, Andrew J. Cohen, Brendan O'Brien, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. A sequel to Neighbors (2014), the plot follows the Radners having to outwit a new sorority led by Shelby, living next door to sell their house currently in escrow. Zac Efron, Dave Franco, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jerrod Carmichael, Ike Barinholtz, Carla Gallo, Hannibal Buress, and Lisa Kudrow reprise their roles from the first film; it was Rogen's first live-action sequel. The film premiered on April 26, 2016, in Berlin and was released on May 20, 2016, in the United States, receiving mostly positive reviews and grossed $108 million worldwide.
Rampage is a 2018 American science fiction monster film directed by Brad Peyton and loosely based on the video game series of the same name by Midway Games, from a screenplay by Ryan Engle, Carlton Cuse, Ryan J. Condal and Adam Sztykiel. The film stars Dwayne Johnson in the lead role, Naomie Harris, Malin Akerman, Jake Lacy, Joe Manganiello and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. It follows a primatologist who must team up with George, a leucistic western lowland gorilla who turns into a raging creature of enormous size and growing into bigger and larger sizes as a result of a rogue experiment, to stop two other mutated animals from destroying Chicago.
The Comedian is a 2016 American comedy-drama film directed by Taylor Hackford and written by Lewis Friedman, Richard LaGravenese, Art Linson, and Jeff Ross. The film stars Robert De Niro, Leslie Mann, Danny DeVito, Edie Falco, Veronica Ferres, Charles Grodin, Cloris Leachman, Patti LuPone, Greer Barnes and Harvey Keitel.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Black Manta in the superhero films Aquaman (2018) and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), Bobby Seale in the Netflix historical legal drama The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020), and Morpheus / Agent Smith in The Matrix Resurrections (2021). For his portrayal of Cal Abar / Doctor Manhattan in the HBO limited series Watchmen (2019), he won a Primetime Emmy Award. He also starred in episodes of The Handmaid's Tale (2018) and Black Mirror (2019).
Skyscraper is a 2018 American action thriller film written, co-produced, and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber. The film stars Dwayne Johnson in the lead role, with Neve Campbell, Chin Han, Roland Møller, Noah Taylor, Byron Mann, Pablo Schreiber, and Hannah Quinlivan in supporting roles. In the film, Will Sawyer, a former FBI agent, must rescue his family from a newly built Hong Kong skyscraper, the tallest in the world, after terrorists set the building on fire in an attempt to extort the property developer. The first non-comedy of Thurber's career, it also marks his second collaboration with Johnson, following Central Intelligence (2016).
Jon Bass is an American actor, known for his roles in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Super Pumped, Baywatch, and the comedy series Big Time in Hollywood, FL and Miracle Workers.
Seven Bucks Productions is an American production company founded by actor Dwayne Johnson and his manager/ex-wife Dany Garcia in 2012. The company is involved in film, television, digital networks, and emerging technologies. It produces a variety of projects, usually directly in relation with Johnson's acting roles, and has grossed $4.6 billion at the box office as of 2024. Its subsidiaries include Seven Bucks Digital Studios and Seven Bucks Creative.
Dany Garcia Rienzi is an American film producer and businesswoman. She is the founder of GSTQ and the CEO and chair of The Garcia Companies overseeing a portfolio of brands in business, entertainment, and food, including Teremana Tequila, Athleticon, and the Project Rock Collection at Under Armour, VOSS, Atom Tickets, Salt & Straw, ZOA Energy, Acorns, and the UFL.