Channing Tatum is back as Mike Lane, in the film Magic Mike's Last Dance - with Steven Soderbergh returning from retirement as director and Reid Carolin delivering the third of three film scripts for the trilogy.
Channing Tatum as the middle aged and retired 'dancer' is buffed and gives a centred and convincing performance as the talented brawn. This time, Mike is on a solo adventure to London with the wealthy theatre owner Maxandra (Salma Hayek Pinault), and choreographs a new group of dancers for a one-night show.
But although we see a golden magic microphone in his hand, the magic is missing - in what should probably have been called just Mike's Last Dance.
Perhaps the most enjoyable and intelligent part of Magic Mike's Last Dance is the narration on dance by daughter Zadie (Jemelia George) giving the movie something of an Ab Fab mother daughter understory. In her screen debut Jemelia George gives a sterling performance, dry, witty, sober and smart. Her text gives us some erudite insights into dance and its history.
The dance itself in the film Magic Mike's Last Dance has two triumphant moments: the opening 'dance' scene is charismatic and beckoning, as well as saucy and hot; and the final performance definitely puts out with sharp honed choreography and the same with its execution. In between the story is simple enough although at times a little flat and a little lost. And the cliché moments, which could have speckled laughs, are too many.
Believe me there are enough hen's night moments to make this watchable for just that - a hen's night - or for a fun (heterosexual) girls' night out if all you want is something non-thinking and light-hearted. If you're currently riding solo Magic Mike's Last Dance can provide some insta relief to the tensions you might be feeling. Worth it for that!
Released in Australia, only in cinemas from today.
