By: Laura Bennett
Dwayne Johnson doesn’t need fancy titles for his movies when one word will do: ‘Rampage’, ‘Faster’, ‘SKYSCRAPER’. Boom.
Even ‘The Fast and the Furious’ had to become ‘Fast and Furious’ before he signed on (OK maybe that was coincidental).
In his latest beefy action flick, Johnson plays war veteran Will Sawyer, a devoted Dad and former FBI Hostage Rescue agent who assesses security for ‘super-tall structures’. On assignment in Hong-Kong, his clients’ building erupts in flames and he ends up framed for the attack. Wanted and on the run, Will tries to find those responsible and clear his name while attempting to rescue his family who are trapped above the fire line.
It’s a thrill, there’s no doubt about it, but this Die Hard-esque adventure really hinges on the believeability of what a Dad would do for his family.
Having chosen to leave danger behind him, Will is forced to face the mental and physical demands of military-style action once more, testing his resolve as a vet, and causing him to question what keeps him going. As one baddie puts it, “what we value most is what motivates us.” (Sure he might have been saying it to get Will to do his bidding at one point, but he’s right). Will loves his family, and will do anything to be their hero.
It’s a truth worth taking home for our own times of hardship. Even if it doesn’t involve scaling a 200+ storey building with a little rope and duct tape, sometimes life demands more of us and we also have to dig deep and find reason to press on.
Full of action with very minimal course language (I only heard one swear word), Skyscraper satisfies your Friday night craving for something fast and fun, but packs a punch when it comes to take-home ideals.
Skyscraper is in cinemas now. Watch the trailer below.
Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.
About the Author: Laura is a media professional, broadcaster and writer from Sydney, Australia.