CHiPS (2017)

User Review

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  stickaroundblog

  5 / 10

  The 80's sitcoms turned into comedy action films continues and this time with CHiPs (California Highway Patrol) Now while 21 Jump Street works incredibly well, CHiPs sadly misses the snap. Michael Pena plays an undercover FBI agent who is partnered by a chronically injured older enthusiastic rookie (Dax Shepard)
  
  CHiPs is written, directed by Dax Shepard who also stars as Jon; a retired X-Games stunt biker still trying to cling on to his by-gone days. He is chronically injured from all the years racing which flares up in bad weather. Michael Pena plays Poncherillo (or Ponch) an undercover FBI posing as a hardened pro. The two team up in an attempt to stop a group of masked armed robbers.
  
  Now I have never seen the original series so I can't comment on how well it lives up to it. The main problem with CHiPs is that the antagonist is revealed way too early to the audience and to the characters so it cuts any suspense or mystery in the case. Now while the story still has a few little surprises left, it lacked any real grip, unlike the Jump Street movies, where you were left guessing until the end. Now while there are some great stunts and impressive bike skills throughout. The lack of intrigue left the film feeling flat and with this lack of a suspect, you cared less about the duo catching the crew and the film felt a little too long for a case without any detective work.
  
  The chemistry between the pair worked well. The older rookie with a blindness to his marital problems and the younger hardened professional with a sexual addiction problem a switch over the usual tradition of the younger rookie/hardened veteran. The conflict between them worked to a degree, but didn't click as well as it could have done. The humour was delivered well as you can expect from Pena but the humour was ultimately funny in places but largely unmemorable (apart from the 'eating ass' jokes)
  
  I felt like CHiPs could have had the potential to be something good but sadly missed its mark. I can understand that a film doesn't always have to convey a message or meaning and I like a bit of mindless action now and then. It does entertain to some degree and works as a throw away weekend film on TV, it fills a void if you're in for something light hearted, with cheap laughs and ass shots of girls in yoga pants.

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