Well I'll start by saying I know these are movies about male stripping but I still take them seriously as films. So the first movie had way more stripping which is a common complaint about XXL by most women because you'd think the sequel would have more. However I think the reason is because the first movie was solely about the life of a stripper but XXL is more of an unexpected bro. road trip movie leading up to a stripper convention. The first Magic Mike however had more of a dark direction making it more dramatic and less fun whereas XXL is more vibrant and less dramatic. The main thing lacking from the first film was Amber Heard. The actress in the first film just had no presence on screen and showed no personality whereas Amber Heard is sort of your go to hot blonde perfect for playing these types of characters. I think the fact that there was no sex scene between Amber Heard and Channing or at least some sort of kissing was a waste. Their flirtatious relationship much like the film was lacking something more. I feel it was very much an unnecessary sequel but I can't say I wasn't entertained. It was hilarious and full of hot dudes but the raw and real edginess the first film had is gone. Reminds me of Pitch Perfect 2; one big letdown.
Review of Magic Mike XXL
