Playing With Fire movie review

RATING: PG

LENGTH: 1 hour 36 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: D for your really dumb, but your kids might think it’s funny

IN A NUTSHELL:

I like John Cena and want his movie career to do well like it has gone for his fellow professional wrestler Dwayne Johnson. Unfortunately, this movie is just not very good. There are a few funny moments that I think would have made my 4 sons laugh out when they were really little, but the humor is very goofy, dumb, and slapsticky mixed with potty humor. I guess that pretty much describes a movie most kids would like, right? When asked his thoughts on this film, John Cena stated, “There’s poopie stuff.” Was that supposed to be a selling point?

If you saw the trailer and thought it looked awesome, then you’ll enjoy this. If you thought it looked terrible, you’re right to stay away. The high reviews on IMDB must have been paid for because this is most certainly not the best movie of the year like some people wrote. That being said, I recognize that some people and their kids will enjoy it.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

John Cena takes his shirt off several times. You also see him naked from the waist up in the shower, TWICE. That’s clearly for the moms in the audience. Wow, that guy’s muscles are massive.
Some inappropriate jokes for kids to hear
You’ll learn about the Safe Haven Law.
Kids who love My Little Pony will get a kick out of the large role it plays in this film. It will seem like blatant merchandising to parents.
A “girly” poster on the wall showing a woman from behind wearing only her underwear
A bottle of alcohol gets removed when the kids walk into a bedroom. Several scenes where people drink something on fire, presumably alcohol.
Some people kiss.
Several scenes where people are caught in perilous situations.
Lots of destruction and messes.
Some cleavage
No profanity

THEMES:

Family
Dreams
Environmentalism (frogs, forest)
Caring for others
“Friendship is magic.” – Rodrigo (John Leguizamo)
Distractions might be the very thing that keeps you going in life.

THINGS I LIKED:

I liked the funny quotes that John Leguizamo’s character constantly messed up. If you like inspirational quotes, check out my daily podcast called, “Daily Inspirational Quotes with Trina Boice.” You can find it on the Volley app on your iPhone or on your Amazon Echo device as your “flash briefing.”

I thought it was funny when Will (played by Christian Convery) tried getting the Alexa device to work, but it was a clock. Ha ha I love Alexa.
There’s a funny Julia Roberts moment from the movie Pretty Woman when John Cena’s character snaps a box closed when he shows it to Judy Greer’s character.
There are some cute running gags throughout the whole movie.
We play giant Jenga with 2 x 4’s at our house too, although not nearly as large as theirs!
Shortly after the kids arrive at the depot, Rodrigo says to Axe, “Come on, man! I’ve seen you fight a wolverine!” Tyler Mane, the actor who portrays Axe, previously appeared in X-Men (2000) as Sabretooth, Wolverine’s half-brother and one of his arch enemies.
The movie refers to firemen and smoke jumpers as superheroes. Indeed.
Playing With Fire is a clever name for the movie, although I wish they had spent a few minutes to teach kids to be careful because it’s not safe to play with fire.

The smoke jumpers go shopping and carry their purchases in big store bags that say, “I’ll be bag.” ha ha
I love it when movies have funny outtakes. Yay for this movie that has them!

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

Most of the acting was really terrible. Keegan-Michael Key and John Leguizam had the best lines in the movie and were the best actors by far. They made the movie bearable.
Almost none of the scenarios are realistic. So many of the facts and details are way off and frustratingly ridiculous.
Not very good special effects.
The acting by the kids wasn’t very good. Sure, they’re adorable in real life, but I couldn’t stand the disrespect and crying. What a bunch of brats.
The transitions between scenes was very choppy and uninspired.
Super predictable and formulaic.
The tone of the first half of the movie is completely different from the second half.
It would have been nice to show more smoke jumper action

FUNNY LINES:

“I’m Mr. Fun.” – Jake Carson (John Cena)

“I feel like someone fun would go by his first name and not ‘Mister.’” – Dr. Amy Hicks (Judy Greer)

INTERESTING LINES: