REVIEW: “The Wrecking Crew” (2026)

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Growing up in the 1980s, I have a real fondness for action movies with tough guys and funny buddy comedies – and the 80s delivered a lot of them, often combining both in one film. Classics like “Lethal Weapon,” “48 Hours,” and “Midnight Run” stand out, but even lesser-known titles like “Tango & Cash,” “Red Heat,” and “The Last Boy Scout” hold a special place for me. I’ll admit the quality isn’t always consistent, but I still enjoy them after all these years.

I tend to be forgiving of “The Wrecking Crew” because it intentionally tries to recapture the fun, over-the-top action movies of the 80s. While it relies heavily on familiar action-comedy tropes, predictable twists, and over-the-top scenes, the movie is saved by the charismatic leads, Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista, and its lighthearted, self-aware tone.

“The Wrecking Crew” has all the ingredients for a successful movie – popular actors and a crowd-pleasing story. However, it skipped theaters and went straight to streaming on Prime Video. Director Ángel Manuel Soto, known for “Blue Beetle,” and writer Jonathan Tropper (soon to be working on “Star Wars: Starfighter”) have created a fun, over-the-top film that’s likely to attract a lot of viewers for the streaming service.

The story centers around two half-brothers who must come together after their father, Walter Hale – a private investigator in Hawaii – dies in a hit-and-run. They’re unsure if it was a genuine accident or something more sinister, and they reluctantly team up to find out the truth. James (Dave Bautista) is a devoted family man and Navy SEAL still living in Hawaii, while his brother, Johnny (Jason Momoa), is a troubled police detective recently suspended from his job in Oklahoma.

When Johnny comes back to Honolulu, he immediately starts butting heads with his brother, James. They haven’t spoken in a decade, and old resentments quickly resurface. However, they’re forced to team up when they discover someone is targeting their father. The movie follows these two brothers as they work through their complicated past while investigating their father, Walter’s, death. As they dig deeper into the mystery, they find themselves becoming targets as well.

The story features a number of supporting characters, with mixed results. Stephen Root appears as a police sergeant who isn’t much help, and Jacob Batalon plays another irritating, wisecracking sidekick. Temuera Morrison portrays both the state’s Governor and an uncle to the main characters. However, the female characters really shine. Roimata Fox is excellent as James’ strong and honest wife, and Morena Baccarin is equally impressive as Johnny’s exasperated girlfriend.

The movie is a lot of fun thanks to its over-the-top and often ridiculous action. The fight scenes are especially well done, as both Bautista and Momoa are clearly comfortable with physical action. There are some impressively wild sequences as the two brothers take on local gangs and even the Yakuza. However, some of the more ambitious action moments rely too heavily on obvious and flashy digital effects.

“The Wrecking Crew” doesn’t offer many surprises – the plot is pretty predictable, including the villain and how the story ends. However, Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista have great chemistry and charisma, which makes their buddy-cop dynamic work really well. The film even hints at a sequel, and I’d definitely be interested in seeing one. Overall, it delivers what you’d expect from this type of action-comedy.

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2026-02-19 18:57