There are a few valid reasons to make a sequel four decades down the track from an action-comedy blockbuster that left an indelible pop-cultural imprint: 1. A smart script with a completely fresh take on a formulaic genre. 2.
Writing that digs into the ways an iconic character known for his rule-breaking irreverence adjusts to the social shifts of a different century. 3. New technology that allows for more explosive thrills.
4. The nostalgia of audiences for whom the original holds enduringly fond memories. 5.
Lil Nas X agrees to write and perform a song, spinning rap verses around synthmeister Harold Faltermeyer’s catchy theme tune. Sauntering along 30 years after the third installment opened to scalding reviews and underwhelming grosses, justifies its existence only with points 4 and 5. Which will likely be enough to satisfy diehard fans.
Directed with journeyman efficiency by first-timer Mark Molloy and written by a committee that follows the template to the letter, this feature remains entirely stuck in its ‘80s conception. That much is evident even from the poster, which not only returns to the basic elements of the key art for (dude, gun, car), along with the embellishments for the 1987 sequel (palm trees against a vibrant Hollywood sunset), but also looks like it was designed back then, down to the last airbrushed detail. No trace of the more stylized graphics in the poster for , which is in line with this chapter’s general policy of forgetting that franchise dea.
