The Wrecking Crew review: Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista resurrect the buddy-cop comedy with a BOOM
Sometimes you just need a mindless action movie to melt away the stress of a chaotic world. Cheers to the makers of The Wrecking Crew, as it certainly satisfies as escapist entertainment, perfect for kicking back and cackling with excitement.
Fronted by a dynamic duo of hulking yet dashing leading men, Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista, this buddy-cop action-comedy is packed with stunts, explosions, jokes, and star power. And honestly, that would have been enough to please, considering this is a direct to Prime Video thriller.
Yet director Ángel Manuel Soto, who previously helmed the undersung superhero movie Blue Beetle, went above and beyond with The Wrecking Crew. He managed to build a film that's satisfyingly stupid and plumbs earnest, emotional depths among bonkers action and dick jokes.
Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista play brothers at odds in The Wrecking Crew.
Set mostly in Hawaii, The Wrecking Crew begins with a cold open of an old, ingenious man named Walter Hale (Brian Keaulana) barreling through a bustling market. He's tense, checking over his shoulder, convinced he's being followed. This isn't paranoia. No sooner does he successfully stash a package in a mailbox than Walter is unceremoniously struck down by a van in the street and left to die. Was is a hit-and-run? Or was it murder? Finding the truth — and justice — fall to his estranged sons, who basically hate each other because of him.
Jonathan Tropper's script will steadily unfurl the complicated family dynamics of half-brothers Jonny (Momoa) and James (Bautista) Hale. They share blood, daddy issues, and impressively brawny physiques. But their introductions clearly illustrate how different they are. Older brother James is introduced meditating underwater, floating calmly and confidently in lotus pose in a Navy SEAL training pool. As a commander, he's teaching his troupe to hold their breath for minutes on end, but they can't compete with his nautical chill. While stoic at work, at home James is warm, cooking dinner for his wife (Roimata Fox) and two young kids. Then there's Jonny.
Far off in Oklahoma, Jonny is a cop who's using his suspension time from the force to motorcycle down dirt roads and squabble with his fed-up girlfriend (Greenland 2: Migration's Morena Baccarin.) He hasn't spoken to his family or been back to Hawaii in years. However, when his cluttered trailer is invaded by Yakuza assassins seeking a mysterious package, Jonny knows how to handle himself. After smashing these hit men to pieces, he's heading to Hawaii to get answers…and reluctantly reconnect with his half-brother.
The Wrecking Crew knows when to be serious, silly, and downright stupid.
When it comes to the murder mystery plot line, James and Jonny are surly and serious. Jonny snarls at local gangsters, who aren't happy to see this black sheep back in their turf. James scowls at a local cop (Stephen Root), who throws his hands up in lieu of helping. But the brothers also aim this intensity at each other. They exchange heated words of decades-old resentments, which will even spark into a parking lot brawl that goes hard in hand-to-hand combat with a solid slathering of angst to put salt in the wounds inflicted.
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Despite their differences and hurt, they do make a sensational team. Just as the earnest drama in The Wrecking Crew taps into the tension of classic cop movies like Lethal Weapon or Die Hard, Soto's imaginative and sprawling stunt sequences recall iconic action sequences from epic movies. There's a car versus helicopter chase scene reminiscent of Fast X (which also starred Momoa) and a hallway melee that recalls Park Chan-wook's Oldboy. These are the kind of sequences that are made for theaters, where the outrageous images explode with booming soundscape, swallowing you up in surround sound. Sadly, this is a Prime Video release. So, at least do The Wrecking Crew the courtesy of setting your phone down and turning the volume up.
Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista go hard in The Wrecking Crew.
Whether fighting each other or others, Bautista and Momoa make a terrific odd couple. Bautista is the no-nonsense straight man to Momoa's capering clown. While Jonny takes this murder mystery with all the seriousness of a film noir detective, he refuses to take himself seriously. This is very clear in the opening fight scene, where a Yakuza member sneaks up on Johnny, who's using the toilet, and places a sword to his throat. In response, Jonny spins around, laughs at the threat, and yells "Swordfight." While Soto keeps the camera above Momoa's waist, the shimmy of his shoulders suggests he's wiggling his penis. It's a joke that could cost him his life. So not only does this dick joke tell us a lot about where Jonny is at psychologically, it's also so damn funny that it got me into a full-on giggle fit. That he does a callback minutes later is early evidence that Soto knows how to have fun without losing the edge in his action sequences.
Simply put, The Wrecking Crew delivers exactly what you might hope for from a buddy-cop comedy. Soto deftly lays out enthralling action sequences upon a gorgeous backdrop, punctuated by explosions, gunfire, and snarky repartee. The jokes range from bawdy physical comedy to snappy sidekick shenanigans from Spider-Man: Homecoming's Jacob Batalon to withering remarks. The tension brews not only from the central mystery but also the sibling rivalry between these embattled brothers. Then, the kinetic chemistry between Bautista and Momoa brings it all together for a satisfying climax. And shout-out to Japanese singer-songwriter Mivayi, who brings John Wick-style cool and menacing to the chic and savage Yakuza boss.
Altogether, Soto blends these bits of comedy, drama, action, suspense, and style into a movie that's a real banger. Here's hoping we get a sequel.