A couple who invite their two clans to an island in the Philippines to celebrate their wedding are completely ruined when the wedding turns into a nightmare. Among the pitfalls suffered during this day, terrorists taking everyone hostage…
We find here a bit the same scenario as for “ordinary” Netflix films. Presented exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, Shotgun Wedding (hostage marriage in the French version) is headlined by two big stars – Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel – who here lend their talent to a comedy of which we look in vain for the slightest interest. A bit as if the craftsmen, knowing their film was intended for a platform, suddenly lowered their criteria and no longer made the slightest effort to offer a product that was even a little drinkable. It’s like returning to the time when what were called “telefilms” had a very bad reputation.
Written by Mark Hammer (Two Night Stand) and directed by Jason Moore (Pitch Perfect), this romantic comedy, punctuated with action scenes, resorts to scriptwriting springs that have already been used a thousand times. We could forgive the thing if it was enhanced with killer lines or hilarious dialogue. Alas, we are also far off the mark in this regard. We can’t really subscribe to the story they’re trying to tell either, especially since we never bother to really explain what’s going on, or why the wedding party is suddenly attacked by a gang of terrorists.
The story is thus based on the tensions between the two lovebirds who, even before the arrival of their guests, were questioning their nuptial engagement. The extra point given to this bad film is also due to the irresistible Jennifer Coolidge. Although the actress, triumphant in the series The White Lotus, is underused here (he is also made to say the same line twice at two different times!), his mere presence suddenly gives a little more tone to the whole. In the role of the former fiancé – more spectacular than the current one – Lenny Kravitz could also have been better exploited.
But there comes a time when, as the artisans of this film before it probably did, the viewer gives up, saying what’s the point…
On Amazon Prime Video
Romantic comedy
Shotgun Wedding
(VF: hostage marriage)
Jason Moore
With Jennifer Lopez, Josh Duhamel, Jennifer Coolidge
1 h 40