New Jersey Stage Issue 46 | Page 106

Aside from a few knowing one- liners, Rampage never fully em- braces the ridiculousness of its plot, and whenever the monsters are off screen, which is far too much of its running time, it feels interchangeable with a half doz- en other movies headlined by Johnson. With his suspect politics but un- deniable presence, Johnson has established himself as the John Wayne of our times, and regard- less of the quality of the material he’s given to work with, he al- ways delivers a fully committed performance with an infectious charisma that papers over a lot of cracks. Rampage however is the first time I felt his boy scout shtick begin to wear a little thin. Later this summer we’ll see him leap from a helicopter into a gi- ant tower in disaster movie Sky- scraper, and I suspect that may well be the moment that sees him jumping the proverbial shark. w Rampage 2 ½ stars out of 5 Directed by: Brad Peyton Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jake Lacy, Malin Akerman, Joe Manganiello, Marley Shelton NJ STAGE - ISSUE 46 INDEX NEXT ARTICLE 106