Jackpot is yet another action/comedy that has very little plot and relies on the chemistry and banter of its stars to carry the movie. And while it is better than many recent movies of this kind, it runs out of steam quickly and eventually falls into a mess of inconsistency and repetitiveness.
It is the year 2030 and the California state lottery has taken a dark turn in recent years. Upon winning the lottery, the winner can be hunted down by those who bought losing tickets. If the winner survives until sundown, they claim the jackpot. If not, the person who killed them gets the money. There’s no guns or bullets allowed, but everything else goes. When Katie Kim (Awkwafina) accidentally wins, she finds herself on the run and reluctantly enlists the help of Noel (John Cena), a freelance bodyguard, to help her survive.
It’s an interesting premise, albeit a ridiculous one. At first, Jackpot leans in the ridiculousness of it all, and that provides enough zany energy to get the movie off on the right foot. The constant jokes while being attacked, and the cartoonish nature of the attacks are in sync with the tone of the movie. At least for the first act.
Eventually the tone of the movie starts to shift between slapstick humour and dark satire, and never finds a nice resting place. Jackpot wants to explore a darker theme, but now the over-the-top violence becomes distracting, and the jokes feel out of place. At this point the premise has begun to run thin, and it feels as though you’re watching the same scene over and over again. The two of them find themselves in a ridiculous situation, they make jokes, there is some goofy action, and then the pair find their way to temporary safety. There isn’t enough plot to sustain the movie, and the mixed tone makes it a confused mess.
Jackpot does make good use of both Awkwafina and Cena. Both appear to be game for anything, and her wit and his goofy charm go a long way to making the movie worthwhile. Their performances really do buoy the movie, and I found both to be engaging and funny for the most part. But their charm can only hold out for so long. The supporting cast is fine, but they feel like characters from different movies.
The action sequences are somewhat inventive in their over-the-too nature. When the movie leans into the cartoonish tone, this works well, particularly at the beginning of the movie. But when the movie wants to push its darker themes, it all feels disjointed. Director Paul Feig has made some great movies, but Jackpot comes across as two different movies competing for screen time. Is it a cartoonish action/comedy? Is it a dark satire? The true answer is neither.
In the end, Jackpot simply can’t figure out what kind of movie it wants to be. By never finding a consistent tone any enjoyment is sucked out of it. The leads are engaging and funny, and the action sequences are entertaining for a while. There really isn’t enough plot to keep the movie going though and it relies on the chemistry of the leads to keep you entertained. And that can only last for so long. It starts off well and has potential, but Jackpot is far from the big winner its title would have you believe.
Have you seen Jackpot? Are you planning to? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.