Medved: ‘Baywatch’ is ‘high art for low culture’

This year’s film filled with a curiosity factor is “Baywatch,” based the ’90s TV show of the same name which rose to prominence for its repeated use of one special effect — slow motion.

“The film rises to two stars (out of four) because on occasion they are making fun, successfully, of the old ‘Baywatch’ series,” film critic Michael Medved told KIRO Radio’s Dave Ross.

“The best part of the film is the outtakes at the end where you see that the people making the movie had a lot more fun with it than we have watching it,” he added. “Nothing to watch for … it’s high art for low culture.”

But Medved notes that there is something to watch for — a format that hasn’t changed since the original title — lifeguards, to put it politely.

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“The women of course, in the new ‘Baywatch’ are extraordinary, not necessarily in terms of acting ability … they even make comments about it constantly in slow motion,” Medved said.

There is a standout in “Baywatch” with its lead character.

“The real star of this movie, and the only reason the movie got made, and the only reason it’s probably going to be a big box office hit despite the fact that it’s pretty poor is Dwayne Johnson, The Rock,” Medved said. “…The Rock is a sort of lovable daddy character who is trying to teach all these young recruits about what it means to be a mature and contributing member of the team.”

And they better be mature if they are going to take on a high-profile, murderous drug ring that, naturally, only lifeguards can handle.

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