The new Netflix film "72 Hours," starring Kevin Hart, is drawing criticism for its reliance on unoriginal humor and tired comedic tropes. The movie, which pairs Hart with "Saturday Night Live" cast members Marcello Hernandez, Kam Patterson, and Ben Marshall, has been labeled a "lazy bachelor-party raunchfest" that fails to deliver consistent laughs.
The plot centers on Joe (Hart), an aging advertising executive who feels out of touch with younger generations. After mistakenly joining a group chat for a Miami bachelor party, he decides to crash the event to conduct market research for a vodka ad campaign. He poses as a wealthy benefactor, providing a lavish Airbnb and free alcohol, while surreptitiously filming the partygoers.
Reviewers have noted that the film struggles to find its footing, often veering into predictable scenarios involving drug dealers and party-goers. The younger characters, including the groom Mason (Mason Gooding), the ringleader Nick (Hernandez), Hunter (Marshall), and Freshman (Patterson), are depicted as a close-knit group who share their feelings and keep scrapbooks of memories, a dynamic that reportedly baffles Joe.
Despite a premise that could allow for humorous generational clashes, "72 Hours" is criticized for its lack of genuine comedic moments. One scene involving Hart doing a Tony Montana impression with cocaine in his beard has been highlighted as particularly jarring and unfunny. The film also features a sequence involving whale penises, which, while described as a novel idea, is reported to be poorly executed.
While Marshall and actress Anna Garcia are noted for managing to elicit some laughs from their material, the overall comedic output of the 105-minute film, including credits, is deemed meager. Critics point to a disconnect between Hart's established talent as a standup comedian and his recent film choices, many of which are described as creatively bankrupt.
"72 Hours" has been compared to films like "The Hangover" and "Bachelor Party" but is said to fall short of their comedic standards. The movie is also criticized for its thin characters, with Hart's younger co-stars being broadly stereotyped. Even an attempt at a "Scarface" parody falls flat, raising questions about its humor and potential racial insensitivity.
Action sequences, such as an escape from drug dealers via jetskis, are reportedly underdeveloped, cutting abruptly without a proper payoff. Ultimately, "72 Hours" is recommended as a "SKIP IT" by critics, who suggest the film's humor is too scarce and its plot too reliant on predictable, uninspired gags.