Playful gender-bending within the context of a video-game
alternate universe mingles with an unexpectedly somber message about
approaching death in this follow-up to the 2017 original. Director Jake Kasdan,
who co-wrote the screenplay with Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg, has made, in
spite of the sight gags about physical abilities and regenerated characters, a
reflection on adult responsibilities, mortality and self-esteem. Dwayne Johnson
and Karen Gillan are the most prominent of the avatars into whom the core cast
of the kickoff (Alex Wolff, Morgan Turner, Ser'Darius Blain and Madison
Iseman), among others, are transformed before embarking on a quest during which
they take on the brutal leader (Rory McCann) of a violent empire. An old game,
a familiar plot and eternal verities are a potent combination.
Watch out for: Intense
action sequences, fleeting sexual references, three profanities, occasional
crude language.
Rated: A-III, adults; MPAA:
PG-13
© Arlington Catholic Herald 2019