We are not only tired of superhero movies – we are also tired of the same old dystopias. That is what Jackpot! in a sugar rush, even though it could be a really nutritious movie meal. It just reaches for the fruit that is easiest to pick.
The brutality we are talking about will be just six years away, in 2030. That year, the government, in all its wisdom, decided to address the recent economic crisis by introducing a lottery where the winner can claim their money if they are killed within the set time frame. The truly incredible thing about this scenario is that no weapons can be used.
Paul Feig hits the nail on the head by keeping the California law for this scenario. So where else should this action comedy begin but in Los Angeles, where Awkwafina plays Katie, a former child actress who returns after a long absence from show business and quickly realizes that times have changed. She’s so out of it, in fact, that she accidentally signs up for the lottery and is completely baffled when people try to kill her in all sorts of comical ways after she wins the multibillion-dollar prize.
Thankfully, there’s a silver lining in the form of John Cena’s Noel, who shows up to protect her in exchange for 10 percent. With a comedic resume of his own now in the works, Cena is ready to face off against Awkwafina as the two dodge desperate fortune hunters trying to cash in. Because as it turns out, LA is rough and the industry is brutal.
At least the road to the obvious is paved with winning twists by memorable supporting characters who threaten to steal the show, including Simu Liu as a representative of evil corporate interests and a cameo by MGK as himself. It is as entertaining as you would expect, which doubles as Jackpot!the greatest strength and weakness. R, 106 minutes.
Prime
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