Film Review – Magic Mike XXL

Released in the summer of 2012, “Magic Mike” became a phenomenon. A movie about male strippers caught up in emotional turmoil and stunted creative expression, the picture was instead largely accepted as a celebration of beefcake, with director Steven Soderbergh’s indie film mope and melodrama mostly ignored by the feature’s target demographic. “Magic Mike XXL” is the sequel, arriving with full awareness of what audiences didn’t care for the first time around. Hindsight is strong with this one, losing unwelcome actors and, well, a story, to fashion a playground for the fit stars of the show. Fans of stripping routines and shirtlessness will surely feel sated by “Magic Mike XXL.” Those in the mood for substance and measured dialogue should hunt for more interesting exploitation elsewhere. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com