In the Prime Video film Jackpot!, California introduces a new lottery where winners get a huge amount of cash if they can survive until sundown in Los Angeles. The twist is that any other ticket holder can claim the jackpot by killing the winner within that time, turning each lottery into a city-wide manhunt.
Set in the 2030s, with a worsening U.S. economy and homeless camps on the streets, Jackpot! sounds like it could be a new Purge sequel or a low-budget thriller. However, it turns out to be a loud, crude, and poorly executed comedy by director Paul Feig, known for Bridesmaids and Ghostbusters (2016). The film ends up being a bad match for its director, resulting in a complete disaster.
What Is Jackpot! About
In Jackpot!, Awkwafina plays Katie Kim, a former child actor who returns to California after her sick mother dies. Katie, who was unaware of the new lottery, accidentally activates a ticket she finds in borrowed clothes and becomes the winner.
She is then attacked by almost everyone she meets because guns are banned by the lottery rules. John Cena’s character, Noel, a “protection agent,” offers to keep her safe until sundown for 10 percent of her winnings. Katie, initially hesitant, eventually relies on Noel as a larger and more dangerous protection agency, led by Simu Liu’s character, joins the chaos.
Despite the premise suggesting a bloody film, Jackpot! does not deliver on that front. The movie starts with an on-screen text saying, “Some people call it dystopian. But those people are no fun.”
Directed by Paul Feig and written by Rob Yescombe, the film avoids the violent aspects and turns into a Hollywood satire full of terrible jokes. One character, Machine Gun Kelly, makes a strange comment, saying, “You would turn my asshole into the Eye of Sauron. So let’s not go on that fellowship of my ring.”
A blooper reel at the end reveals other poor joke options and shows that the film’s juvenile humor, including fart jokes and odd references to The Wizard of Oz and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, continues even after the credits roll.
‘Jackpot!’ Is Frustrating and Annoying in Equal Measure
Almost every part of Jackpot! seems like a failure, either because of tone or story issues. The movie does not explain why a lottery involving attempted murder is more profitable than a regular one. The film is set in a supposed dystopia but makes lazy pop-culture references, which is confusing and annoying.
Early on, Katie deals with an irritating Airbnb renter named Shadi (Ayden Mayeri). Cena and Liu also argue about LaCroix sparkling water at one point.
The action scenes in this action-comedy are also disappointing. The film’s choice to portray events as silly rather than violent means Katie and Noel are attacked by various people, but they usually respond with non-violent methods. Katie, who once took a stunt-fighting class, is effective in defending herself, but the film’s explanations and fight scenes feel weak.
The film’s themes about staying good in tough times and government manipulation are too basic to make a strong impact. While Jackpot! might be seen as a commentary on fame and instant stardom, this idea feels underdeveloped due to the film’s focus on crude jokes.
Awkwafina and Cena have done better work in other films. There are only two jokes that made me smile: one where Awkwafina says Cena looks like “a bulldog that a witch cast a spell on and turned into a human,” and another where she jokes about the current state of acting.
These moments felt like a rare highlight in an otherwise lackluster film. While the movie is called Jackpot!, no one comes out a winner from watching it.
