Dwayne Johnson is currently one of Hollywood’s most sought-after, highest-paid actors. Better known as his WWE alter ego, The Rock, Johnson has various achievements under his belt besides being one of the greatest professional wrestlers, namely football, wrestling and acting. Also known for extensive workout and healthcare routine and perseverance, Dwayne Johnson has become the epitome of determination in Hollywood. However, we have a problem with Johnson’s knack for mundane film roles and here’s why.
Born on May 2nd, 1972, to a professional wrestler father, Johnson had rough adolescence as he was arrested multiple times for offences like fighting, fraud as well as theft. He was a part of the gridiron football, wrestling and athletics teams; in the future, he would star in a film where he served as a guidance counsellor to the juvenile boys in a detention centre where he would unite them to play as a team. He played defensive tackle and accepted a fully-funded football scholarship to the University of Miami, after which he pursued his career as a professional wrestler that amassed immense popularity and a cult fan following.
He soon pursued his showbiz career, making his debut on That ‘70s Show and hosting Saturday Night Live in 2000 before finally bagging his first theatrical role in The Mummy Returns. Known for his effortless on-screen hilarity, Johnson began to thrive on his charming and charismatic persona. Following The Scorpion King and Rundown, Johnson has not had to look back ever since. He has appeared in various films and started a successful production company as well. He is a famous multi-tasker who is known to juggle many projects together.
Like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Johnson, too, is a people’s actor who drives fans to the movies for his charm and not his acting ability. He is primarily seen in action comedies and often proves to be funnier than professional comics. However, his films often seem pretty repetitive, and he is seen as the hero without the cape who saves the day no matter how big the obstacle. More often than not, he dons shirts in films which can barely hold themselves together against his buff physique, much like the film narratives. While watching Johnson is pretty fun, the films are extremely mundane. From Skyscraper to Red Notice, it is almost pretty difficult to distinguish between Johnson’s persona- it feels repetitive and stretched. He is the characteristic good guy who knows how to pack a few punches and is faced with a huge obstacle that he finally surmounts in a gag-and-action-filled runtime of about two hours.
While films like The Scorpion King, Pain or Gain and Gridiron Gang were shot in Johnson’s initial days and saw a little more versatility, Johnson’s repetitive roles in the recent past have become somewhat of an eyesore due to the abysmal quality and insane quantity of films he appears in each year. While The Rock has successfully managed to build and expand his brand, touching the hearts of millions of fans, it’s time for him to sift through the roles and distinguish between them on the basis of superior quality.
It is time for him to find films that do not make us question his artistic choices with a signature raised eyebrow as is quintessential to The Rock. Johnson has come a long way and has put in the incredible effort; although we love some Rock every now and then, we would hate to see Johnson’s career be in burial!
