Considering the current state of affairs, I was not surprised to see that in Jackpot! the Great Depression began in 2026 (this is the most believable part of the film). Inflation and unemployment rates became so high that the government devised a scheme: Kill the person who has won the lottery, and you will be able to claim their winnings. This law apparently only exists in Los Angeles, which turns out to be bad news for Katie Kim (Awkwafina) as she returns to the city after many years to fulfill her acting dreams. Why is she not aware of this lottery rule? She was busy caring for her sick mother, and they spent their time watching TV shows or movies. News is too depressing. In Los Angeles, Katie realizes that she has been scammed by her Airbnb host, Shadi (Ayden Mayeri). She posted fake pictures of her home online because real photos wouldn't have attracted anybody. Katie is disgusted by the house. In the morning, she notices sewage leaking from the wall and falling not only on her face but also on her clothes, which means she ends up renting Shadi's yellow-colored outfit. These clothes, according to a taxi driver, make her look like a Comic-Con nerd or C3PO. Hey, it's quite easy to scam Katie. You suspect she would become bankrupt before nighttime.
Fate, however, has other plans for Katie. While auditioning for a role, she accidentally registers herself as a contestant for the lottery, and, surprise, surprise, she wins! Unfortunately, she now has to save herself from everybody. The other actresses jump at Katie with a knife or whatever they can find. The judges, too, join the mayhem, and as Katie escapes from one group of deadly hunters, she comes across other greedy killers. Every problem, though, has a solution. There is an organization that offers protection to lottery winners like Katie in exchange for some percentage of money. Louis Lewis (Simu Liu) runs one such organization, but Katie doesn't immediately come in contact with him. Instead, it's a freelancer named Noel who comes to protect Katie. As Noel, John Cena does what we expect John Cena to do on the screen. He behaves like a grown-up kid, listening to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle song with pride. This big chunk of meat kicks, punches, and throws Katie's "fans" so easily that he might as well be getting rid of plastic toys.
Director Paul Feig doesn't push his actors into new territories. Awkwafina, like John Cena, does what we expect Awkwafina to do in films. She is used as a cute dispenser of comical expressions and lines. Look at her selling childish jokes like, "I am not here. It's a haunted yoga mat, y'all." This is what she says while covering herself with, well, a yoga mat and hiding from her karate "fans." Simu Liu, too, is very predictable. You only need to have watched some of his recent films (like Atlas) to understand what Liu's Louis will do here. The biggest giveaway that clears all our suspicions regarding his nature comes in the form of a facial scan. Many artists are against artificial intelligence, so it's only natural that the filmmakers have started marking their villains with AI gadgets. Anyone who uses technology like facial scans cannot be fully trusted.
Is Feig, through this comedy, trying to make some significant observations? By referring to people who are after Katie's life as her fans, Jackpot! could be commenting on the extreme nature of fans. They can defend their favorite celebrities passionately and also criticize them. One moment, they could be attacking you everywhere, and the next, you might find them showering you with praise. However, when looking at the story the movie tells, you don't feel convinced by the happy faces. If the people of LA are indeed facing financial distress, how can they all celebrate the victory of a person who is going to walk away with $3.6 million cash? Shouldn't they all be feeling sad? Or is this Feig's way of poking fun at the devotees who struggle to pay their bills but vehemently support Elon Musk-like billionaires? Whatever the director's or writer Rob Yescombe's intentions, they don't successfully land.
As just a watchable, dumb action comedy, Jackpot! comes across as mild entertainment. It mostly has a breakneck pace, and many scenes quickly disappear from your head. There are a handful of good gags, though you still feel that something is missing. The film's energetic movement somewhat provides the stale jokes with an illusion of freshness. Feig is better at oiling his machine and moving its parts as smoothly as possible. The actors, on the other hand, completely surrender themselves to this silly material. Jackpot!, as a result, looks bearable. Don't skip the end credits. The real fun lies there.
Final Score- [5/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times