The Wrecking Crew review: Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa’s action comedy has mega body count but no real peril

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A star rating of 3 out of 5.

Honestly, if you’re one of the bad guys in this movie, you’re having a really rough week! It’s a super fun, over-the-top ’80s action comedy with tons of action, but somehow it doesn’t feel like anyone’s actually in danger. The story kicks off when Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa, playing long-lost half-brothers, have to reconnect after their dad dies in what looks like a hit-and-run. Bautista’s character is this total hero – a Navy SEAL with a great family life in Hawaii. Momoa, though? He’s a bit of a mess, an ex-cop living in Oklahoma who’s forced to come back to Honolulu, and let’s just say he’s not thrilled about it.

This duo is in serious trouble. They’re being pursued by both the Yakuza, who want a strange package, and a Hawaiian gang called the Syndicate, who are furious with one of them and have given him a week to get off the island or face the consequences. Luckily, both actors are incredibly physically imposing – one character jokes they look like twins born from a combination of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson – and they handle their attackers with ease, taking them down quickly and efficiently.

Director Angel Manuel Soto, known for ‘Blue Beetle,’ seems to understand the basic structure of classic ’80s action-comedy movies, but he loses sight of what made them truly enjoyable. He tries to amp everything up – more violence, fights, crashes, and villains – but it doesn’t make the movie more fun. Instead, it results in a long, exhausting film with too much action.

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The actors definitely seemed to enjoy themselves on set. Bautista and Momoa have great on-screen chemistry, and both get to participate in some over-the-top fights and action sequences. The action scenes are visually impressive, like a bathroom fight with Momoa against the Yakuza and a brutal hallway battle reminiscent of the film Oldboy, which culminates in Bautista finishing off an opponent with a hammer.

The movie features non-stop car chases and crashes – you definitely wouldn’t want to be driving around while they’re happening! The humor comes from the playful teasing between the brothers, like insults about getting old or gaining weight, and some funny swearing from Jacob Batalon, who plays their clueless helper. You might know him as Ned, Spider-Man’s friend, from the Marvel movies.

Unfortunately, the attempts to create emotional connection through shared past trauma fall flat, which is disappointing considering Dave Bautista has shown he’s a capable dramatic actor – he was a key emotional component of Blade Runner 2049. However, it’s worth noting that The Wrecking Crew isn’t aiming to be a deeply moving, award-winning film.

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The story gets complicated, especially when it comes to understanding why the villains are doing what they do, as the main characters reveal layers of hidden plots and the groups behind them. Several antagonists are memorable, particularly Claes Bang as a shady millionaire and Miyavi as a flamboyant Yakuza boss. Their individual fight scenes are standouts, especially the contrast between Miyavi’s agile fighting style and the powerful physicality of Dave Bautista, a former wrestler.

This movie has all the right ingredients for a fun Friday night – it’s clearly inspired by classic buddy cop films like Lethal Weapon and 48 Hrs. However, it doesn’t quite deliver the excitement or appeal of those originals, or even more recent, successful movies in the same style, like The Nice Guys or The Hitman’s Bodyguard. (The sequel to The Hitman’s Bodyguard isn’t very good, though.)

If you’re simply looking for over-the-top action with big guys beating each other up – and maybe a few funny lines – this show delivers, and Amazon is a great place to watch it. It’s pure, uncomplicated entertainment.

Authors

Rosie Fletcher

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2026-01-26 19:04