The Rock's Career: In Crisis?
12/13/2009 Posted by Admin
Do you smell what the Rock is cooking?
I do, and it’s time for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to get out of the kitchen, because what he’s cooking, nobody wants.
Johnson retired from professional wrestling in 2004 in order to focus on an acting career. One expected him to become the next great action star a la Sylvester Stallone or Jason Statham. Instead, the eccentric star has appeared in some horrific children’s movies.
First, there was “The Game Plan” in 2007. In it, Johnson plays a cocky, superstar football player, but his world comes crashing down when he discovers that he has a daughter. He has to overcome his ego so he can become a better father. It’s typical, vomit-inducing Disney fair.
After starring in the unintelligible “Southland Tales” and the hapless “Get Smart,” Johnson reached a new low. He appeared in the worst movie of 2009, “The Race to Witch Mountain.” Johnson’s performance as taxi driver turned hero of the universe is laughable. This is the only movie I’ve ever watched where I’ve literally hated myself for seeing it.
Johnson then lent his voice to the worst animated movie of 2009, “Planet 51.” In addition, on January 22, 2010, Johnson will star in what might be the worst movie of 2010, “The Tooth Fairy.” He will sport a set of full body tights and a pair of big, furry wings in his transformation into the tooth fairy. This movie has the potential to be so bad that it will make Uwe Boll look like a cinematic genius.
After seeing the trailer for the latter movie, I wondered exactly what Johnson’s intentions are for making these movies. Is it just the money? There can be some serious bank in family-friendly kids’ movies. And yet “The Game Plan,” “The Race to Witch Mountain,” and “Planet 51” only pulled in around $190 million combined domestically. He had a role in “The Mummy Returns,” and that movie brought in over $200 million alone domestically.
Perhaps Johnson feels the need to be a positive role model for kids. Maybe he doesn’t want to be typecast as a big, dumb action star. He might not have the acting chops to land any other roles.
I believe Johnson is a fine actor. He was impressive in “The Rundown” and “Walking Tall.” The man is meant to be a big action star. Watching Johnson pump out these cruddy family-friendly films would be akin to watching John Candy, if he were alive, run a marathon--it wouldn’t make sense.
It’s time for Johnson to step up and be the action star everyone knows he can be. Nobody’s going to take him seriously as an actor if he continues to put--oh, I don't know--fairy wings on his back. Trade in the tights for some army fatigues, Rock. Lose the wand and give yourself over to what fans want--a shotgun or a baseball bat.
View the trailer for "The Tooth Fairy" below. Thoughts?
December 13, 2009 at 3:43 PM
I agree. At some point lots of action heroes attempt to show that they've got another side. Schwarzenegger did Kindergarten Cop and Jiggle All the Way (and intentionally spoofed himself in Last Action Hero). Eastwood did all of those ridiculous movies with the orangutan (and, worse yet, Sondra Locke). But Johnson has set a new low.
The tag line for the movie is "You can't handle the Tooth." Truer words have never been spoken This will go on my "Must Miss" movie list.
December 14, 2009 at 5:01 AM
Hey, John, KS.
Well, I don't agree.
I'm a fan of The Rock and I like specially when he works for kids stuff, like when he worked with Miley Cyrus or now, in Planet 51.
I've seen this movie and liked it a lot!
I think he's a good actor and does so good his role like Chuck Baker... so...
of course for me it's not the worst movie of 2009.
well thank you for this time to express my oppinion.
bye!
December 27, 2009 at 5:18 PM
This is just embarrassing. The only movie that I can remember that he was in that was any good at all was The Scorpion King. He must really need the money.