The men are the sex objects in musclebound film adaptation of Baywatch

REVIEW: Not even Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron have the comedic muscle to keep the oversized adaptation of 90s TV series Baywatch afloat.

BAYWATCH

Three stars

Rating MA15+

Running time 116 minutes

Director Seth Gordon

Starring Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Alexandra Daddario

Verdict Dumb and occasionally fun

ATHLETES who overtrain tend to underperform. Something similar occurs with this pumped-up film adaptation of the popular ’90s television series Baywatch.

The fun, dumb, sunbaked action comedy has a lot going for it — including Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron, two of the most amenable and well-built actors in Hollywood.

Perhaps director Seth Gordon should have gotten a few tips from his stars’ respective personal trainers, since there’s nothing even remotely stale about Johnson’s rock-hard biceps or Efron’s finely-chiselled six pack.

Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron are the sex objects in the film adaptation. Picture: Frank Masi

Johnson plays Mitch Buchannon (David Hasselhoff’s role) and Zac Efron is Matt Brody. Picture: Frank Masi

Although one might quibble over Efron’s extreme muscle definition since his character, a disgraced Olympic champion, hasn’t been training for quite some time, and even at his peak, US swimmer Michael Phelps didn’t look like Baywatch’s brash new recruit (probably because the 23-time Olympic gold medallist had to eat).

The increasing fetishisation of male actors’ bodies has a natural, self-aware place in Baywatch, which simultaneously pokes fun at the body beautiful culture while celebrating the results.

The women, by comparison, take a back seat in the sexual objectification department. Although scantily clad, Alexandra Daddario (‘I’m not dating Zac’), Kelly Rohrbach and Ilfenesh Hadera, play a more athletic role in the film adaptation.

Jon Bass, as the pudgy but game Ronnie, provides an everyman counterpoint.

Baywatch’s action sequences have plenty of explosive charge. And the underwater scenes are vividly realised.

The set-up is also well considered — since it includes moviegoers in the joke with a minimum of winks and nudges.

Alexandra Daddario challenges Zac Efron in Baywatch. Picture: Frank Masi

Ilfenesh Hadera plays Stephanie Holden (Alexandra Paul’s role in the original). Picture: Frank Masi

Priyanka Chopra plays the baddie property developer Victoria Leeds in Baywatch. Picture: Frank Masi

Stealing his name from David Hasselhoff’s character, Johnson’s overzealous lifeguard Mitch Buchannon takes his job so seriously, he has absolutely no awareness of jurisdictional boundaries.

Which is how he gets his team embroiled in a dangerous drug-running operation masterminded by a beautiful Indian property developer (Priyanka Chopra) who will stop at nothing to seize control of the bay.

Murder, mayhem and a good deal of personal humiliation ensue.

Efron has already proved his comedy chops — most notably in the two Bad Neighbours films — and he steals a few moments here.

But something has been lost in translation from screenplay to screen — the jokes should be funnier than they are.

There are a few chuckles but no real belly laughs.

Not even the ever-reliable Johnson, with his outsized screen charisma, can keep Baywatch afloat.

Baywatchopens on Thursday (June 1)