Magic Mike XXL

In this sequel to Steven Soderbergh's over-the-top 2012 surprise hit Magic Mike, the titular male stripper (Channing Tatum) abandons his furniture business to re-join the brawny Kings of Tampa for one last road trip to a stripper convention in Myrtle Beach, SC. In Jacksonville, Mike meets Zoe (Amber Heard), a flirtatious photographer. And when Big Dick Richie (Joe Manganiello) does an impromptu solo, grinding on a soda machine just to bring a smile to the face of a glum mini-mart clerk, Mike realizes that they all need to come up with some new erotic moves. So it's onto Savannah to find raunchy Rome (Jada Pinkett Smith), who runs a private pleasure palace where black women can indulge their fantasies. Although Mike convinces Rome to become their new Master of Ceremonies, she can't hold a candle to the charming zest of the original film's Matthew McConaughey. Serving up plenty of eye-candy, these buff, oiled-up, half-naked guys (Matt Bomer, Adam Rodriguez, Kevin Nash) show off their rippling, washboard abs and deliver lots of pelvic thrusts, joined by Donald Glover, former NFL star Michael Strahan, and Stephen “tWitch” Boss, whose gyrations delight costars Andie MacDowall and Elizabeth Banks. And the group's raucous interlude in a LGBT club is an obvious nod to the gay audience. Based on producer/star Tatum's experiences, filmmaker Gregory Jacobs's Magic Mike XXL is sleazy and rather superficial, but also surprisingly sweet in its story of male strippers determined to elevate women's self-esteem. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include production featurettes on “The Moves” (9 min.) and the “Georgia” location (2 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is an extended dance scene (4 min.), and bonus DVD and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a small extras package for a so-so sequel.] (S. Granger)