‘Thunderstruck’ – Who’s Got the Talent?
We all love to root for the underdog, when he becomes top dog through a fluke rather than hard work, well, it’s not so satisfying. Brian Newall, who magically acquires the talent of his hoops hero Kevin Durant (who plays himself), eventually finds he’d rather get the talent back to its rightful owner. There are plenty of laughs along the way, from Brian’s klutzy ballplaying in the beginning to what KIDS FIRST! youth film critic Brianna Beaton, age 12, describes as her favorite scene, when Kevin’s agent “is trying to get Kevin his talent back. He is doing all kinds of things, going from holding the basketball together with saying a message to rubbing the carpet and then finally to a stun gun.” Brianna was there at the red carpet to interview cast members, including father and son actors James and Robert Belushi who share how they brought comedy from their own relationship to the script.
Thunderstruck
Reviewed by Brianna Beaton
(See her full review on video.)
Thunderstruck, starring NBA superstar Kevin Durant, is a funny and inspirational film that is definitely enjoyable to watch.
Brian Newall (Taylor Gray) is horrible at basketball. He loves the game, but he just cannot play. Brian is a very big fan of NBA superstar Kevin Durant. While at a basketball game, Brian gets a chance to meet the superstar and supposedly steals Kevin’s talent. Kevin Durant, playing himself, is suddenly horrible at basketball while Brian is the new superstar on his high school team. Kevin is worthless and is on the receiving end of all the bad publicity from fans and sports commentators. Kevin’s agent, Alan Garrett, (Brandon T. Jackson) goes to great lengths to try and get Kevin his talent back.
I really like this film because I just love basketball. It is my favorite sport and I really get into the game. There are a lot of funny moments when Brian is playing with his team and he is showing how really klutzy he is. Coach Amross (James Belushi) and his assistant coach Dan (Robert Belushi) are too funny and will definitely keep you laughing. My favorite scene is when Alan is trying to get Kevin his talent back. He is doing all kinds of things, going from holding the basketball together with saying a message to rubbing the carpet and then finally to a stun gun. This is really funny. I also like the scene with Kevin’s mom in a cheerleader’s outfit.
One great message in this film is that talent isn’t something you get; talent is something that you earn with hard work and dedication.
I recommend this film for ages 7 to 18 and anyone who loves the game of basketball. If you are a fan of Kevin Durant, then you will not want to miss this one.
I give Thunderstruck four out of five stars because it’s funny, has a good message and is great for the whole family to enjoy.
Thunderstruck bounces into theaters on August 24, so go and get your KD jersey and check it out.
Photo: Thunderstruck poster
Meet the film’s stars as Brianna interviews them for KIDS FIRST! at the red carpet event.
