Any mention of Baywatch conjures up images of 1980s TV icons David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson running in slow motion in their tight red bathing suits, on golden sands against an impossibly blue sky as they went about their day saving lives.
“Baywatch is just about the most successful television show of all time,” says Dwayne Johnson, executive producer and star of the show’s eagerly awaited big screen outing. “So I was drawn to the challenge of reintroducing a beloved property to a new audience who might not have grown up with it.”
“Baywatch is a fun piece of pop culture,” adds director Seth Gordon. “And I felt like we had a real opportunity to redefine the brand.”
Baywatch the movie follows career lifeguard Mitch Buchannon (Dwayne Johnson) who has to deal with a brash new recruit, former Olympic gold medallist Matt Brody, who arrives in Emerald Bay expecting a spot on Mitch’s highly competitive, handpicked Baywatch team. Although the two clash mightily, they need to work together to uncover a local criminal plot that threatens the future of the bay. The film also stars Priyanka Chopra, Alexandra Daddario, Jon Bass, Kelly Rohrbach and Ilfenesh Hadera. The screenplay was written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift.
The producers acknowledge that the TV show was a form of escapism for its millions of fans. “It was perfect for people all over the world to unplug from their daily lives and be transported to this world of gorgeous people on the beach. The idea behind the film is to supersize that and, at the same time, have some fun with it,” opines producer Beau Flynn.
Whereas the TV show was rather family-friendly, the filmmakers decided to go down the rather raunchy route
Johnson remarks that there were a lot of elements of the show that really worked, so it was important to keep those in place. At the same time, he adds, “we wanted to raise the stakes for a feature film. The stunts are bigger, the action is more intense, but we’re not taking ourselves as seriously as the show. We worked hard to find the right balance. Seth threaded the needle perfectly. As badass as the action in this movie is, we’re all in on the joke. We’re all having fun. We’re laughing with Baywatch, not at Baywatch”.
‘Badass’ is one way of describing it. Whereas the TV show was rather family-friendly, the filmmakers decided to go down the rather raunchy route, so much so the film was released in the US with an ‘R’ rating (meaning Restricted, with no one under 17 admitted without an accompanying parent or guardian.) Says Flynn: “The ‘R’ rating is a great canvas to be as edgy or irreverent as you want, so we really let it rip with the language and nudity, male and female. We’re proud of the risqué, wow moments we had to fight to keep in the movie!”
Yet the film is not just ‘filthy fun’. It also boasts a number of adrenaline-fuelled action pieces.
“Lifeguards are a lot like firefighters,” muses Gordon. “There’s a lot of down time to mess around, but when it’s time to save somebody, their job becomes incredibly dangerous. They’re putting their lives in danger to save the lives of strangers.”
It was important to represent rescue scenarios as authentically as possible and Gordon brought on a veteran stunt team to create some of the mind-blowing sequences featured in the film, and they went to town with the use of helicopters, quad bikes, motor bikes and jet skis. One particular hair-raising stunt sees co-star Zac Efron racing a motorcycle down a crowded pier in an attempt to save a drowning family. Meanwhile, the film’s most elaborate rescue involves the entire Baywatch team saving some people stranded on a burning ship.
“The world has had to live without Baywatch for such a long time, so I couldn’t be more excited to be bringing it back,” says Efron enthusiastically. “We’re building on one of the greatest TV shows of all time, and Dwayne, Ilfenesh, Jon, Alexandra, Kelly and Priyanka are all so amazing and talented. It’s going to be hilarious and action-packed. I’m really stoked about it.”
Johnson sums up: “The number one thing you can expect when you see Baywatch is fun. We’re talking next level, life-changing, filthy, awesome fun. You’re going to laugh your ass off!”