Magic Mike’s Last Dance: A Disappointing Final Act
Magic Mike’s Last Dance, the third installment in the Magic Mike trilogy, failed to live up to the hype of its predecessors. The eight-year gap between films and the struggle to get people to watch movies in theaters have been cited as contributing factors, but ultimately the film itself was lackluster. In February 2023, it made little impact at the box office.
Now streaming on Max, the platform it was originally made for, Magic Mike’s Last Dance has a chance to find a new audience. However, the film is unlikely to make a substantial impression as it feels like a dispiriting, calculated, and half-assed project.
The film has little to offer beyond one notable scene that is worth watching for fans of the previous movies. In this scene, Mike Lane is called to perform a private show for a rich, bored woman named Maxandra. The scene is highly theatrical, only-in-the-movies foreplay and builds on the lectures from Magic Mike XXL about fulfilling women’s fantasies as a sacred art. For those who can buy into the fantasy, it is sexy and enjoyable to watch.
Unfortunately, the rest of Magic Mike’s Last Dance is a downhill run. The plot centers on Mike’s relationship with Maxandra, which is shallowly written and lacks appeal. Gone is the carpentry work that defined Mike in the first film and the philosophizing about his role in the world. Instead, the movie focuses on promoting the real-life Magic Mike Live stage show, leaving the main characters with uninteresting arcs. The big climax of the film is a lengthy dance performance that lacks stakes.
Fortunately, streaming offers the option to pick and choose which scenes to watch, allowing viewers to focus on the fun bits without committing to the tedious ones. For those looking for a more enjoyable experience, the original Magic Mike and Magic Mike XXL are both available on Max and Netflix, as well as other digital rental platforms.