I'm not one to endorse rebooting kitsch TV properties as movies, but after the success of 21 Jump Street, I must concede that when the talent's in place, anything's possible. Still, my generosity only stretches so far, and Baywatch, one of the 90s hollowest TV hits, is pushing the limit. Paramount don't seem too care though, as they're readying Zac Efron and Dwayne Johnson (who'll need some XXL trunks) to lead their mooted reboot. Baywatch is mostly famed for its stars and aesthetic. Following a group of lifeguards, the show made celebrities of David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson and Carmen Electra, whilst cementing the "slo-mo beach run" as an actual shot-type. TV doesn't get much cheesier, so you've got to suspect this new version will have its tongue firmly planted in cheek. The odd-couple pairing of Johnson and Efron feels very Jump Street, as does the inclusion of Horrible Bosses' director Seth Gordon; suggesting the approach will be modern, adult and exclusively comic. Efron and Johnson have had a great few years. Johnson was 2013's highest grossing movie star, and the key factor in driving San Andreas toward a respectable total at this summer's box-office. Efron on the other hand is hot again after a period in the wilderness, thanks to his starry turn in 2014's uproarious Bad Neighbours. Together they should, and had better be, a lot of fun. The Jump Street films, despite their intelligent design, wouldn't work nearly as well without the rapport between Hill and Tatum. Chemistry is key for a good buddy comedy. Baywatch is written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift (2009's Friday the 13th) and will saunter onto beaches sometime in 2017. We'll whistle when it's getting close.
