Skyscraper

Honestly, I even considered a lower rating, as Skyscraper was simply disappointing. Casting Dwayne Johnson in the lead role can be considered one of the wisest decisions made, but the plot ultimately felt like it was created by a five-year-old. Please don’t compare it to Die Hard; I consider that an insult. The film started off quite promisingly, with a few impressive and flashy action scenes. However, as time went on, it started to seem like the budget was drastically cut. The digital fire didn’t look very realistic, the script became a piece of Swiss cheese with holes where nothing made sense, and the villain barely had any screen time (on the other hand, his character had zero charisma, so I’m almost glad). I was expecting an epic climax, but they turned it into a family comedy where all the good guys survived, and the bad guys got what they deserved. It didn’t grab me. I’d almost call Skyscraper a flop, as it's such a waste of money that it’s painful. I give it 42%. (2018-10-20)

Very silly, but very entertaining. There’s something happening all the time. The Towering Inferno crossed not only with Die Hard but also with Mission Impossible, with the only difference that, where Tom Cruise had sticky gloves, the muscle-bound Rock uses Scotch Tape and a curtain drawstring. Skyscraper is simply a solid popcorn movie that doesn’t require you to think very much. I awarded it a fourth star for the visual aspect and the amazing aerial shots. (2018-12-16)

Die Hard is history! And Bruce Willis can go bury himself. Dwayne "Super-Super-Super-Ultrahero" Johnson has finally found his magnum opus, and I applaud, moved and teary-eyed, in an empty theatre. A wonderfully entertaining first-rate answer to all the inferior and illogical action crap with the aforementioned Die Hard leading the way. Grandiose and endlessly creative popcorn flick for all who love The Rock and his standard of craftsmanship (so, of course, for everyone). The scene on the crane is the best adrenaline ride in history. Bottom line, an artisanal rip-off of action legends for an inoffensive three stars. Or you don’t get the irony? (2018-07-12)

A seamless action flick that I was happy to forgive. In fact, Skyscraper had the same effect on me as some of the (now so-called classic) Schwarzenegger or Stallone movies – they weren't always masterpieces, but those two gentlemen were the reason I enjoyed watching them every time, and the reason I enjoyed those movies. Dwayne Johnson is cut from the same cloth this time around. He's charismatic, tough, you root for him even when you know everything is going to turn out well; you have fun. I especially appreciate that after crap like Jumanji, Rampage, and San Andreas, Johnson is in something that isn't completely goofy or parodic, but that takes itself seriously within the genre of expensive B-movies, and only occasionally lightens things up with humor. Plus, there's the cool idea of the protagonist having a prosthetic leg, which he makes use of a lot, and the crane scene, for example, is so over the top it's excellent (Jablonsky's music stands out during this one, as it does elsewhere as well; though simple and routine, it adds atmosphere). I wasn't expecting much and I am satisfied. (2020-08-14)

Unfortunately, this movie doesn't even come close to the classics of this genre, such as Towering Inferno with Paul Newman and Steve McQueen, or Die Hard with Bruce Willis. The story itself is incredibly stupid and predictable, so I must focus more on the visual side, which the filmmakers did quite well. We can say that it is a kind of unpretentious action movie, with occasional suspenseful scenes here and there. (50%) (2023-03-18)