Magic Mike's Last Dance is a 2023 comedy-drama film directed by Steven Soderbergh, written by Reid Carolin, and produced by Channing Tatum. It is the third installment in the Magic Mike trilogy, following Magic Mike (2012) and Magic Mike XXL (2015). Originally intended to be digitally released onto HBO Max, Warner Bros. Pictures opted to give the film a theatrical release following strong test screenings.

Mike takes to the stage again, following a business deal that went bust, leaving him broke and taking bartender gigs in Florida. Mike heads to London with a wealthy socialite who lures him with an offer he can't refuse.

The cast includes Channing Tatum, Salma Hayek, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Caitlin Gerard, Kevin Nash, Adam Rodriguez, and Kylie Shea.

Magic Mike’s Last Dance made its debut in theaters on February 10th, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

THE GOOD

I feel like the Magic Mike films continue to be misunderstood in terms of what they actually bring to the table. Sure you get the male stripper element which makes it an easy ladies’ night out option, but they are much more than that. Director Steven Soderbergh’s original film hit theaters more than a decade ago, wow that makes me feel old, and I remember being very impressed with it. I told anyone who would listen how good it was and that there was much more than meets the eye as you got a great story, top-tier acting, and lots of great humor. Plus the cast, led by the man himself Channing Tatum, was fantastic. Back in 2015, we got the sequel to the original film in Magic Mike XXL, which even though Soderbergh left the director’s chair was still really good. Now Soderbergh is back with the third and likely final film in the franchise, but does it live up to expectations or pale in comparison to the other films? Keep reading to find out!

Alright, so it turns out that is a bit of a loaded question. Magic Mike's Last Dance does fail to match the expectations put in place by the first two films and I will talk more about that later in the review, but don’t panic because that does not mean all is lost. Even though I can’t stamp this as the perfect sendoff for the franchise, this is still an enjoyable film for several reasons. First and foremost, the cast should and will draw your attention. Channing Tatum is a boss no argument there, and the addition of the tantalizing Salma Hayek is a treat that may or may not send your sugar levels through the roof. The soundtrack and choreography got me fired up, and it was just great to see Tatum as Magic Mike yet again. The film as a whole offers up enough to satisfy audiences on both sides of the aisle, and you surely won’t leave the theater looking for a refund.

It wouldn’t feel right to review Magic Mike’s Last Dance without first talking about the cast. Now first and foremost, we all know that Channing Tatum has earned his place amongst the greats ever since his Step Up days. Tatum is not just a pretty face with a toned body, this dude is talented and he works his ass off. Tatum once again shows up and shows out in Magic Mike’s Last Dance, delivering yet another fantastic performance. New to the franchise and taking on the other lead role is the tantalizing and gorgeous Salma Hayek. I have been a fan of Hayek for as long as I can remember, and I have always applauded her versatility as an actress. Although I do feel she was a bit underutilized here, I still enjoyed her character and thought she delivered yet another great performance. I also really enjoyed Ayub Khan-Din as the personal assistant/driver of Hayek’s character, and Jemelia George as Hayek’s daughter. The supporting cast was fine, and as great as all of the dancers were they didn’t really get to do much actual acting which was fine of course.

What should we talk about next? You guessed it!! The dancing in Magic Mike’s Last Dance is amazing as expected. The choreography is top notch and we are treated to a ton of extremely talented people who were given a great opportunity to showcase their skills. We also get to watch Tatum’s Mike properly introduce himself to Hayek’s character during a steamy and powerful strip tease during the film’s first act. The soundtrack was epic as well, and it wouldn’t have been a Magic Mike movie without a little bit of Ginuwine’s Pony that is for damn sure. No joke, during the final dancing sequence my eyeballs were popping out of my head, and it wasn’t just because of Channing Tatum. Seriously, it was such a cool way to close out the film and send viewers home feeling satisfied with the overall experience. Actress Kylie Shea was incredible, end of discussion.

THE BAD

I enjoyed Magic Mike’s Last Dance but it absolutely left me wanting more, and my biggest issue was the story and the overall direction of the film. The first film is built around Channing Tatum’s character Mike Lane, better known as Magic Mike, and his coming-of-age journey as he struggled to make something of himself. Mike was a relatable character and I enjoyed embarking on his journey of self-discovery. I loved all of the other characters he met along the way as well, and thought they did a fantastic job with casting. The second film felt like a homecoming of sorts, bringing back all of the original characters for another hoorah, and it worked well.

With Magic Mike’s Last Dance Steven Soderbergh and writer Reid Carolin decide to change things up a bit which does work in some aspects, but also makes for an overall anti-climactic experience in my opinion. Carolin has a ton of experience working with Tatum as he wrote the screenplay for all three Magic Mike films, as well as last year’s gem Dog, so he knew what he was working with. Although it was clear that the goal for Magic Mike’s Last Dance was to bring the sole focus back to Tatum’s character and serve as a bit of a full-circle finale, it just felt less inspired and ultimately forgettable in terms of his character. More than anything else I just really just wanted to see the boys, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Adam Rodriguez, and Kevin Nash, back together again and they had the perfect opportunity to do it, but it just wasn’t meant to be and it really bummed me out.

THE VERDICT

While Steven Soderbergh fails to capture the magic and energy of the original film, Magic Mike's Last Dance is still an enjoyable addition to the franchise with fantastic choreography and a jaw-dropping final act. By no means is this a bad movie, I just found the overall story to be underwhelming and felt like leaving out the original cast was a mistake. The stellar dancing sequences alone are still worth a trip to the theater, and I’m sure wine sales will be up for the foreseeable future.