Jackpot!

Jackpot! delivers a delicious deranged mix of dark comedy and thrill ride. While its silliness may not appeal to all, the film's clever premise, strong performances by Awkwafina and John Cena, and well-timed humor make for a great experience.

Paul Feig’s Jackpot! may not know what it wants to be – riotous comedy, sincere drama, or sprawling action film – but its breakout supporting players elevate it from pure mediocrity to moderately entertaining.

John Cena’s a joy to watch, but Paul Feig’s latest isn’t quite on the money.

Awkwafina and Cena, who gamely tolerate everything this movie throws at them, deserve better. Would somebody please make them a smart rom-com, soon?

Despite the action-comedy bona fides of director Paul Feig, helmer of the far more entertaining Bridesmaids and Spy, and the comedic chops of Awkwafina and John Cena, Jackpot! is an unsteady balance of dark and light, a tinny and discordant mishmash of stunts, ridiculous characters, ludicrous stakes and attempts at zeitgeist.

Jackpot! involves a fight to the finish between the abundant charisma and likability of leads Awkwafina and John Cena and the impossible material they were given. The actors lose, because nobody could survive so many jokes based on groin kicks and bathroom humor or a movie premise as lacking in context as it is sky-high in concept.

The movie might be called Jackpot!, but no one is leaving this one a winner.

The film did exactly what it was supposed to: it made me laugh and let me switch off my brain for a really good time. Some parts drag a little, but in the end, it’s only 1h40 — which is totally reasonable for a **** there’s a blooper reel running through the entire credits. A fun surprise, and a really enjoyable watch!

It was weird watching a movie where Akwafina was talking to herself a lot but it was okay. All jokes aside, the movie was okay, a bit silly but different.

Fairy average movie. Movie filled with plot holes. Weird movie plot but screen play and action sequence is good in first half but towards the end it becomes bad. Overall fairly decent movie.

Jackpot! is a strange beast. There's some good acting, some extremely good choreography and the concept and Director should have meant an above average comedy, but this is unfortunately not the case. Actually, it feels like Jackpot! has purposefully tried to be below average, and this is evidenced in the outtakes that roll during the credits, which are all funnier than what went into the movie itself. It's also a strange choice to show the audience that there were better jokes left on the cutting room floor and it makes me wonder if this was done on purpose, to highlight that some decision make or other ruined the movie for everyone involved. The out-takes show the people who made the movie are obviously funny people who had a good time making the movie and could have made a really fun little picture, but for whatever reason, whether it was an Editor without a sense of humour, or a studio executive that commanded Jackpot! aim for the lowest common denominator, what ended up in the movie was some of the least funny things that happened on set. I won't go on about the decline of comedy movies, and studios reluctance to shoot almost anything with any positivity, these days, but it does seem strange that what could have been a very entertaining film, made by good people, and that evidently had better jokes to tell, was purposefully gimped at the editing stage, for seemingly no good reason whatsoever.

Jackpot: A Star-Studded Disappointment. While Jackpot boasts a star-studded cast, the film ultimately falls short of its potential. John Cena's presence certainly draws audiences in, but the plot itself feels underdeveloped and fails to capitalize on the opportunities for action-packed sequences. The reunion of Awkwafina and Simu Liu, while enjoyable, doesn't elevate the film's overall entertainment value. While the film offers a refreshing premise, it struggles to maintain momentum and deliver a truly satisfying cinematic experience. Despite the star power and potential for exciting action, Jackpot ultimately disappoints.