Playing with Fire (2019)

Playing with Fire (2019)

6/10

Starring

John Cena

John Leguizamo

Brianna Hildebrand

Dennis Haysbert

Judy Greer

Directed by Andy Fickman

I like the movie Playing with Fire. I found it funny and enjoyable, even though it is as cheesy as hell. It was nice to see a family friendly movie not take itself so serious and it added a little mystery to it. Ending in a way that you know in real life that will never happen. The movie gave us a Disney, “they lived happily ever after” ending even though the whole idea of these people together is a disaster waiting to happen.

What Playing with Fire has that made me enjoy it was, streamlining the cast. The movie focuses on the cast at our disposal. In the fire station we have four men and three children, with an occasional romantic interest coming to the station. With these eight the movie builds its plot and does not even make any attempt to complicate things.

The movie starts with the introduction of the men working under Superintendent Jake (John Cena). Jake and his men are smokejumpers. I never knew such a department exist under being a firemen, but they happen to be trained men who drop into wildland fires with parachutes.

Well Jake is one and he wants to be like his dad, who was a Division Commander.

Jake is very good at his job, but the fun thing about his team is their different personalities. Mark (Keegan-Michael Key) is emotional and at times very nervous. Torres (John Leguizamo) is a little nuts, known for misquoting popular sayings and assign the misquotes to the wrong person. Then there is Axe, who is mostly quiet through the movie.

There is a wildfire in the woodlands and the team saved three children from a cabin. They take them to their station, but the repercussion of the fire which burnt down the home the children were staying has the kids stuck with the men until their parents come to pick them up.

The movie then takes a turn that you will expect from such movies as these, the men have no idea how to take care for children and the fun of the movie starts there.

The movie was not a critical success, as it was disliked by many with some saying that it is in contention to be rated the worst movie of 2019. Funny enough I can agree that this movie is not the best thing you can see at the cinemas, but the movie is funny and it is best watched at home not at the cinemas.

It was also a commercial disappointment, a box office bomb. Nonetheless, if you see it on TV get ready for some cheesy fun.