Thunderstruck (I) (2012) User Reviews

Unoriginal

[jackson-andress · 4/10 · 18 June 2013]

The plot is like a mix between Like Mike and Space Jam. It was pretty gosh darn awful. I mean a pro basketball player (Kevin Durant) gets his powers magically switched with a nerdy high school kid. It just lacks originality and creativity. Maybe an 8 year old boy would like it, but other than that, I don't think that anyone would enjoy this movie. It's predictable, slow moving, and unfunny. The only scenarios in which you should watch this movie are a) you have an 8 year old kid or b) you want to watch because it's so cheesy and bad that it's funny. All in all just try to stay away from this movie. If you want to give your 8 year old something to watch, show them Like Mike or Space Jam and not this horrible crossover.

at least NBA cooperated

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 17 June 2017]

Brian Newall is a hopelessly uncoordinated high school kid. He's the joke at his school and the basketball team towel boy. He is ridiculed in front of his crush, new girl Isabel. His hero is Oklahoma City Thunder Kevin Durant. He goes to a game with his father and gets into the shot contest. He fails miserably. When Durant gives him a ball, all of his skills get passed along with it. Brain becomes a great player while Durant can't hit the side of the barn. Coach Amross (Jim Belushi) makes Brian his star player. Durant's agent Alan (Brandon T. Jackson) has a crazy idea of what actually happened.

The kid is a weak actor. He looks fine as a baller which might be the prerequisite for this role. It would be better to get a more fun actor. Durant is a good actor for a basketball player. At least, the NBA cooperated. It's often cheesy to have fake pro teams. The TNT crew is also involved. This could work as a fun Freaky Friday family film but the kid is no rising star. The most fun happens when Durant and the kid try to recreate the freaky switch. Otherwise, it lacks the humor and fun.

Chix Chat on Film Review: Underwhelming basketball.

[EmmaDinkins · 4/10 · 24 August 2012]

Thunderstruck is yet another short guy's hoop dreams fairytale. Brian Newall (Taylor Gray) is a huge Kevin Durant fan much like me, so I was pleased with how the story focused on this amazing NBA player. I was totally pulling for the Thunder in the NBA playoffs, but alas it wasn't their time. Initially I figured that this was a Space Jam like film for this generation of young hoopsters to see a current fan favorite in a life situation other than simply on the court or I thought it might be a Like Mike kind of film. Unfortunately, it didn't have the charisma or heart of either of those two films. The funniest scenes are when Alan (Brandon T. Jackson) tries to fix "the situation" with all nature of high fives and fist pumps. But it's sad when you resort to ball on balls physical comedy for laughs. Again, I am a Kevin Durant fan and consider him one of the most talented ballers in the game today, but he and Candace Parker Williams have some serious work to do if they want to build an acting resume. It helped that Brandon T. Jackson and James Belushi (Coach Amross) are good actors but they did not make enough of a difference to balance out the poor acting. The only common factor with this film and Space Jam was Sir Charles Barkley in his current role as a TNT basketball commentator. He was as funny in this film as ever. I laughed audibly when he remarked that Shaq had been working with Kevin on his free throws. If you want to make a Space Jam or Like Mike type of movie it has to have magic, even though there was some inexplicable magic in this film it wasn't that game winning shot kind that leaves your exhilarated and satisfied with the final triumph. I did realize though that you have to have some basketball talent to make it appear that you have no basketball talent. If it were the beginning of summer and you wanted to get the kids out of the house then send them to this film for an hour and a half of peace, but since it isn't you are better off saving your dollars. This film was like a drawn out commercial for the NBA, Nike and Kevin Durant, unfortunately it was less memorable than his data plan commercial. You can see basketball on TV, you can see the TNT announcers on TV and you should really wait until this film comes to TV to see it. I give it a red light.

Pretty bland and clichéd movie

[sweettops · 3/10 · 1 August 2017]

The movie is really well-made productively with a good camera and it's cool to see the NBA cooperated and thus we have actual NBA teams with actual NBA players and with the actual TNT crew. Kevin Durant himself is a very good actor in this, realistically portraying his humble attitude. And that is all the positives I have about this movie.

The biggest problem about this movie is just how clichéd and generic it feels. It feels like a downed version of older and better basketball movies such as Like Mike, The Red Sneakers, Space Jam, Hoosiers, etc. It hits all of the clichés in a typical cheesy kids movie: the underdog main character has a sucky life, something crazy happens that changes his life for the better (in this case the main character Brian gets Kevin Durant's basketball talent and now he plays insanely good basketball), the main character initially basks in all the fame and love he is getting, but then realizes the success is getting to his head and decides to return things back to normal. It even ends with a basketball game in which Brian's team wins on a last-second shot, but this is even worse than other versions because it's even more uninspiring than others. Somehow Brain magically gets the team to play better in the 4th quarter just by telling basic basketball advice to his teammates, and even though Brian sucked all game and should suck without KD's talent, he hits a game-winning shot. Can't get anymore cliché than that.

The characters feel one-dimensional, and the movie doesn't even try to make you sympathize with or root for anyone. You won't feel bad for Brian or KD while he doesn't have his talent once. There's this generic new girl character (Isabel) who is impressed with Brian's basketball skills but then when she realizes his success is getting to his head she claims that basketball is not how she noticed Brian (even though it clearly WAS basketball when Isabel started to be with Brian). The humor mostly relies on these simple and basic jokes instead of something more creative. And while KD has some good acting, I can't quite say the same for the most of the rest of the cast. Brian's actor is no fun, Isabel's just generic, and mostly everyone else is just there to act out some jokes.

Definitely wouldn't recommend, while 8-10 year olds may enjoy this there are still better basketball movies that you would rather see instead.

The stupidest movie I've ever seen.

[coreythehedgehod · 1/10 · 2 May 2017]

Dear lord, where do I begin. I'm just gonna start with the fact that I never identified with anyone in this film. Second, there's the effect which are terrible, especially the scene where Brian slam dunks over a car. Finally, the clichés are endless. Of course Brian messes up with Isabelle, of course the success gets to his head, and of course, he gets the winning shot despite the fact he has ZERO talent.

This was such a dumb movie. 0.5 out of ten.

THOR must be unimpressed

[ThunderKing6 · 2/10 · 13 March 2021]

Wow...A cheesy childrens movie.

They must think children are dumb or they want children to be as dumb as this movie.

This is a movie that didn't need to be made. Or maybe it did but it needed to be made better and chose to settle for hash.

Overall just a cheesy children movie. Even for basketball fans.

What can be learned? This movie mad THOR angry ....Probably? Verdict: straight to the VCR bin.

The Truth Will Set You Free

[Ed-Shullivan · 6/10 · 5 August 2013]

I will preface my review by stating this is not a religious themed movie. It is however a movie that children over the age of 10 may learn a few valuable lessons about life, truly believing in one self, and being honest with not only your self, but with people we come in contact with. One of the key messages embedded in the movie was for people not to pretend they are somebody they are not.

The story evolves around a teenage boy named Brian Newell (Taylor Gray), who is a typical teenage boy who aspires to be as good as his professional basketball idol, Kevin Durant. Kevin Durant plays himself in the movie. (Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley also make cameo appearances as broadcasters in the movie.) Kevin as we know him, is an exceptional NBA basketball star, who is humble about his natural god given talent, and willing to sign everyone's autograph. During one of Kevin Durant's NBA games, Kevin witnesses young Brian failing miserably during the half time intermission trying to sink a basketball at half court. To make Brian feel a bit better about missing his once in a life time shot at being the super star everyone idolizes, Kevin unselfishly signs a basketball for Brian and explains to Brian that "hard work beats talent, when talent does not work hard", and with those words, Brian miraculously inherits Kevin's basketball abilities, and unfortunately for Kevin Durant, he inherits Brian's former lack of ability to sink a basket.

The story then evolves how Brian deals with his new found (and totally unexpected) basketball talent and success with the lovely new girl in town Isabel Sanchez (Tristin Mays). This is a story of a young man "paying a good deed he received from Kevin Durant, forward". There are a few good messages for preteens and teenagers about team work, truth, and friendship, as well as being an entertaining movie for the entire family. It is well worth the watch and at least a plus 5 rating on IMDb.

Tasty...

[RosanaBotafogo · 7/10 · 12 July 2020]

Quite silly, but there are days that we just need it, silly films to de-stress and rest, nothing thinking, just banalities, tasty...

'Thunderstruck' - Who's Got the Talent?

[rannynm · 8/10 · 1 September 2012]

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 ball-playing 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. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkfvV7swlqE)

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.

Great

[elijahgoglin · 7/10 · 27 November 2018]

This movie is great. Overall though this movie was well done and that Thunder fans or just basketball fans in general should watch.

Cute movie for kids and parents

[anygirl2012 · 7/10 · 9 December 2012]

This movie was better than I expected for a straight to DVD rental. The characters were very likable and well cast. It had a ton of very funny parts, slick fast paced basketball scenes and some nice break ins with other well known stars (Conan, other basketball players, etc). I am not a basketball fan, so I have never heard of Kevin Durant, but I am a fan after seeing him in this movie. My six year old son and I both really enjoyed the movie and it was great to not watch a totally dumbed down cartoon movie with no plot. We actually watched it twice in one day, that's how much we liked it! I'd say that this movie would be best for kids 5 - 10.

It was predictable in its format and that last 10 minutes were basically a carbon copy of most other movies of this type, so don't be shocked. It isn't an Oscar contender, but compared to other movies starring athletes, this was a good one. I'll buy it for our collection for snow/rain/sick days. Enjoyable, laid back, perfect for mom/dad to read the paper while the kid is entertained for a full 1.5 hours. Solid 7/10.

MITCH

[iNawaf- · 7/10 · 23 June 2021]

I'm only giving it 7 because of Mitch, he's hilarious.

Don't Be Hatin!!

[ghandibonez · 8/10 · 11 July 2013]

I am from OKC and was underwhelmed when I heard Kevin Durant was making a kids/family movie. Then I checked it out, And was impressed. People say Durant did a bad job.. He played himself and seemed to do that just fine. He had a lot of simple lines but was still believable.Sure, the Plot is not completely original and reminds us of other films..Like Mike, Space Jam and others..but it had a lot of good laughs and The acting was good in my opinion..a fun family movie that is definitely Worth watching. Plus Belushi did well. If you like basketball Or even just a good movie for the family to sit back and enjoy, watch it! I really didn't expect to like it because it sounded corny, and honestly, it was corny in parts. A lot of family movies have some corniness so deal with it! Ignore the hate and

see it for yourself 7.5/10 so I rounded up to 8.

It's been done before but still not bad

[dvbiz · 6/10 · 20 August 2022]

It's like a mix of "Like Mike" and "Space Jam" but still not bad. It was Okay. That's about it. It was cool seeing Kevin Durant in a movie as well. Crazy how Durant wasn't in Space Jam or Like Mike.

Breaking New Ground

[d-bernstein · 8/10 · 9 July 2013]

This film, at first glance just a bit of adolescent fluff, is very much worth watching. Among its happy reasons:

1.it is expertly crafted: you're in the hands of very skilled folks , both behind and in front of the camera, who are masters of the art of pleasing with seeming artlessness

2.it pivots around an actual live person, a superstar, who â€" and this is the heart of its appeal, its unique grabber - PLAYS HMSELF! Not just in a cameo role or walk- on, but in scene after scene after scene, looming gigantically throughout yet always with the actor's attribute that is most prized by movie directors â€" understatement.

3.For almost the entire movie this superstar must portray himself as his own negation - a failure, an utter incompetent, a flop of zero market value. How many of today's multi-millionaire superstars would have the â€" maturity? Character? Self-cnfidence? Whatever â€" to portray themselves as the total antithesis of their quintessential image? KD breaks new ground â€" and he does it with all the grace and charm and acting skill you could want.

4.The film's dramatic structure is worthy of the classics: it spins out not one but two fantasies in equal measure, equally compelling, totally opposite in content yet inseparably interlocked, providing all the necessary dramatic tension. On the one hand there's the trite adolescent sunshine daydream; on the other, the dark nightmare of a superhero whose power suddenly and inexplicably vanishes. Two universal fantasies. It takes a deft sensibility to dream it up and pull it off.

5.The cast are all so splendid in their respctive roles and a pleasure to behold. Taylor Gray of course, and Brandon Jackson; and James Belushi, as coach Amross, creates a memorable new comic character.

6.Beyond all of the above and more is that the film never lets you forget one important fact: it's all a spoof, a slice of plain good fun. So, watching it, you never have to be anxious or frowny; just be cool, love it for what it is, have a couple of hours of harmless fun - regardless of your age (I'm 82) and relish a new-found respect for the man KD and for all the others who made it happen!

:-)

[mattkratz · 8/10 · 16 March 2016]

Combine Space Jam with Hoosiers with Teen Wolf, and you pretty much get this movie. A kid in Oklahoma City idolizes local basketball star Kevin Durant and serves as the "manager" for the high school basketball team and is harassed by the jerks at school and has a crush on the new girl. When he bombs a half-court show during a Thunder game, a magic ball enables him to "switch places" with Durant, and hilarity ensues. He is amazed at first, but then develops a bit of a "jerk attitude" towards it.

I loved Durant's filming of the shoe commercials, Jim Belushi as the coach, the NBA games and the former players as the commentators, the scenes at the high school and the games, and the winning performances. This wasn't too bad a movie. It was fun watching Kevin Durant pretending to be a terrible basketball player! *** out of ****