Point Break

Remaking Kathryn Bigelow’s brotastic 1991 surf-cop thriller was always going to be a tough proposition. Still, Ericson Core’s ultra-boring new version colossally misses the mark. (Technically, it misses it by several Swayzes.) 

Keanu Reeves’s original Johnny Utah, the most lovably dopey undercover fed in movies, is now played by charmless slab of beef Luke Bracey. He’s on the tail of spiritually intense thief Bodhi (Edgar Ramirez). The chemistry between these two is nonexistent – all surly man-hugs instead of a too-close-to-the-flame bromance. Even worse, this ‘Point Break’ skimps on the surfing, widening out to include extreme sports like free climbing or ‘wingsuit flying’ (so utterly ridiculous, I refuse to believe it actually exists). 

The movie’s reliance on CGI during these cliff lunges and high-altitude dives results in a total weightlessness that robs the film of suspense. Only scowling Ray Winstone, playing Utah’s handler, seems aware of the awfulness all around him, but even he fails in comparison to the first film’s turn by crazy Gary Busey. No one gets out of here unscathed.