‘Magic Mike XXL’: Movie Gets Masculinity Right, Nudity Wrong

Magic Mike XXL failed to cause fireworks on the Fourth of July weekend.

The follow-up to the hit movie, Magic Mike fell behind Jurassic World and Inside Out, both of which dominated the box office yet again. While XXL gets it right when it comes to white straight masculinity, the movie gets it all wrong when it comes to ratings and nudity, according to new reports.

There weren’t enough audience female moviegoers to make Magic Mike XXL climb to the top of the box office this past holiday weekend. Jurassic World stayed in first place, grossing an additional $30.9 million on top of its domestic total of $558.2 million. Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out also brought in an additional $30.1 million for a total of $246.2 million. This animated film is Pixar’s largest movie to date. Magic Mike XXL fell behind the also failing Terminator: Genisys, $28.7 million, with a disappointing $12 million.

The Channing Tatum-led movie wasn’t enough to bring women to the movie theater. Still, it did set the record for having the largest amount of female moviegoers during an opening weekend. For some reason, Magic Mike XXL couldn’t deliver this time around. So, what went wrong?

The Motion Picture Association of America gave the movie an R rating “for strong sexual content, pervasive language, some nudity and drug use.” Meanwhile in Sweden, children of all ages are allowed to see Magic Mike XXL in its entirety. Tatum is excited with Sweden’s relaxed decision.

“Absolutely incredible, but also just right. Sex is of course something that is natural, unlike violence, and therefore it should be easier to see films dealing with sexuality than movies with scenes of violence.”

The MPAA’s fear of nudity, including male nudity, is a problem as documented in This Film Is Not Yet Rated. Movies that feature sexual themes or deal with a character’s sexuality are giving stricter ratings than violent movies.

While Magic Mike XXL’s rating gets nudity all wrong, it gets something right about straight masculinity. Even though XXL is seen as something for the female gaze, it’s still considered a “fantasy for straight men.” The movie teaches men that it’s possible to attract women’s attention while following your own dreams. Unfortunately the plot is overshadowed by muscular men stripping down to practically nothing.

While Magic Mike XXL confuses American audiences with its gratuitous nudity, it makes up for storytelling. If marketed right, XXL could’ve attracted both male and female moviegoers this past weekend. What are your thoughts on the film bombing at the box office? Do you think that the MPAA’s rating and the storyline was to blame? Or, do you think people have had enough of Magic Mike?

[Image: Magic Mike XXL/Warner Bros.]