Baywatch (2017): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Baywatch is a 2017 action drama directed by Seth Gordon, starring Dwayne Johnson, Ilfenesh Hadera and Kelly Rohrbach. It runs 1 hour 56 minutes and earned $177.9 million worldwide on a $69 million budget. Critics gave it 18% on Rotten Tomatoes and 37 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.5/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 56m (116 min)
- Director
- Seth Gordon
- Original language
-
English
- Studio
- Paramount Pictures
- Budget
- $69M
- After the credits
- Yes Extra scene during or after the credits
What Is Baywatch About?
The premise of Baywatch without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
When a dangerous crime wave threatens the beaches, seasoned lifeguard Mitch Buchannon and his team, including Olympic athlete Matt Brody, go undercover. They must navigate the glamorous and perilous world of a wealthy mogul whose actions jeopardize the safety and future of the bay. Facing danger both in and out of the water, the lifeguards work to expose the truth and restore peace to their coastal community.
Baywatch Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- lifeguard
- based on tv series
- swimming
- beach
- california
- crotch grabbing
- explosion
- slow motion scene
- muscleman
- water
- near death experience
- scene during end credits
+38 more Show fewer
- jogging
- nightclub
- hospital
- product placement
- little girl
- death
- wristwatch
- bribery
- corruption
- corrupt official
- hawaiian shirt
- country club
- dancing
- obesity
- scar
- shot to death
- olympic swimmer
- olympic champion
- crude humor
- thrown from a boat
- single malt scotch
- basketball hoop
- man murders a woman
- racial stereotype
- ethnic stereotype
- remote control
- overweight man
- body shaming
- low brow comedy
- celebrity
- tv show within a film
- damsel in distress
- female bully
- eating spaghetti
- female boss
- female villain
- grabbing one's crotch
- bad dancer
Baywatch Cast
Dwayne Johnson leads the cast, with Ilfenesh Hadera and Kelly Rohrbach. Directed by Seth Gordon; 10 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Seth Gordon
Also Starring in Baywatch
· 6 moreMore from Seth Gordon
More films directed by Seth Gordon, best-rated first: The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, Horrible Bosses, Freakonomics and Four Christmases.
Baywatch Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Baywatch 18% on Rotten Tomatoes and 37 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.5/10. Our Echo Score gives it 46/100, strongest in character & emotion (60) and weakest in story & flow (35).
Baywatch Echo Score Breakdown
Baywatch struggles to deliver on its comedic premise, with uneven tone and variable execution across key areas. Critics found the film overlong and tonally disjointed, while some viewers appreciated the cast’s energy and occasional sight gags. The visual style and action sequences draw some praise, but narrative coherence and pacing are frequent points of criticism. Emotional engagement is modest, and lasting appeal appears limited. Overall, the film lands as a mediocre comedy-laden action piece with restricted broad appeal.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 45
In terms of art and craft, Baywatch exhibits uneven execution in visual design and editing. Critics highlighted jarring special effects and cumbersome procedural scenes that disrupt cohesion. Some viewers enjoyed the energetic action set pieces and nods to beach culture, but these moments are offset by inconsistent cinematography and uninspired production choices. The overall presentation feels disjointed, with limited polish in visual style and editing, producing a lukewarm technical identity.
- Character & Emotion 60
When it comes to character and emotion, Baywatch benefits from its charismatic ensemble, particularly the lead’s buoyant charm. Several critics credited Dwayne Johnson’s affability with momentarily lifting the material, and user feedback notes genuine chemistry among cast members. However, the film offers limited depth beyond surface-level banter, with character arcs that yield minimal emotional development. Consequently, the performances provide intermittent engagement without fostering sustained empathy.
- Story & Flow 35
In terms of story and flow, Baywatch is frequently criticized for its scattershot pacing and contrived plot turns. Reviewers describe the narrative as overlong, tonally erratic, and prone to sudden serious beats that undermine comedic rhythm. Users echo concerns about a thin storyline that veers between action sequences and flat dramatic moments. Ultimately, the plot coherence and originality fall short, resulting in a fragmented progression that struggles to maintain consistent engagement.
- Sensory Experience 50
Regarding the sensory experience, Baywatch presents a mix of dynamic sound design and variable musical choices. Some viewers appreciate the bass-heavy tracks and energetic audio cues during action scenes, but several note that the soundtrack often lacks thematic cohesion. Critiques of pronounced special effects and inconsistent visual style further temper its sensory appeal. As a result, the film’s audio-visual package delivers occasional highlights yet fails to establish a fully immersive atmosphere.
- Rewatch Factor 55
For rewatch factor, Baywatch shows select moments of repeat enjoyment but generally lacks enduring appeal. A subset of users reports multiple viewings driven by the film’s humor and character interactions, yet many find it quickly forgettable due to weak narrative and tonal imbalance. Critics similarly deem the movie disposable beyond its initial novelty. In sum, the replay value is moderate at best, appealing to niche audiences rather than broader rewatching habits.
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IMDb 5.5 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 18% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 55%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 37 Metascore
User score 4.8
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 61% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 2.3 /5
290 ratings
See on Letterboxd -
Movie Insider 3.3 /5
See on Movie Insider
Baywatch Plot Summary
What happens in Baywatch from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In Emerald Bay, Florida, the dedicated Lt. Mitch Buchannon (Dwayne Johnson) leads an elite lifeguard division known as Baywatch, alongside his capable second-in-command, Stephanie Holden (Ilfenesh Hadera), and experienced team member C.J. Parker (Kelly Rohrbach). Renowned for his impressive track record of over 500 rescues, Mitch enjoys strong community support, which sometimes irks local police officer Garner Ellerbee (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and his superior, Captain Thorpe (Rob Huebel). During one of his routine patrols, Mitch stumbles upon a pouch of drugs washed up near the Huntley Club, recently acquired by business mogul Victoria Leeds (Priyanka Chopra).
Full summary
The whole story of Baywatch, scene by scene
Baywatch Box Office & Budget
Baywatch grossed $177.9 million worldwide on a $69 million budget, 2.6 times what it cost. $58.1 million came from the US and Canada and $119.8 million (67%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$177.9M
2.6× its budget
- US & Canada
- $58.1M
- International
- $119.8M
- Budget
- $69M
Baywatch Trailers & Videos
4 videos: 1 trailer, 1 teaser and 2 clips.
- Teaser
- Clip The Rock Shows Zac Efron How It's Done
- Clip Zac Efron vs. The Rock: Obstacle Course Showdown
How Well Do You Know Baywatch?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who is the main character and lifeguard in Baywatch?
Cars in Baywatch
20 cars on screen, including the 2009 Suzuki KingQuad 400 FS and the Genuine Buddy.
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2009 Suzuki KingQuad 400 FS Main role -
Genuine Buddy Important role -
2013 Jeep Wrangler Important role -
2015 Suzuki DL 650 V-Strom Important role
Baywatch Also Known As
36 alternative titles, including “海滩游侠” and “护滩使者”.
- Also known as
-
- 海滩游侠
- 护滩使者
- 生死海滩
- Baywatch - UR
- Guardianes de la Bahía
- 베이워치: SOS 해상 구조대
- Baywatch: Guardianes De La Bahía
- Baywatch: Los vigilantes de la playa
- Baywatch : Alerte à Malibu
- Baywatch: S.O.S. Malibu
- Спасатели Малибу
- Рятувальники Малібу
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- Pobřežní hlídka
- Спасители на плажа
- משמר המפרץ
- Sahil Güvenlik
- Чувари плаже
- Alerte à Malibu
- Baywatch: Marés Vivas
- 海灘救護隊
- Baywatch. Słoneczny patrol
- Pobrežná hliadka
- 海滩救护队
- ไลฟ์การ์ดฮอตพิทักษ์หาด
- Pludmales patruļa
- ベイウォッチ
- Gelbėtojai
- 沙灘拯救隊
- Obalna straža
- گارد ساحلی
- Đội Cứu Hộ Bãi Biển
- Spasilačka služba
- حارس إنقاذ
- Baywatch: Els vigilants de la platja
- बैवॉच, მაშველები
- Rannavalve
Seen Baywatch?
Movies Like Baywatch
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding, Baywatch: Panic at Malibu Pier and Baywatch: Forbidden Paradise.
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Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding 2003 -
Baywatch: Panic at Malibu Pier 1989 -
Baywatch: Forbidden Paradise 1995 -
Malibu Beach 1978 -
Bikini Squad 1993 -
Babe Watch 1996 -
Bikini Beach 1964 -
The Malibu Bikini Shop 1986 -
Wet and Wild Summer 1992 -
The Guardian 2006 -
Bathing Beauties and Big Boobs 1918 -
Malibu Rescue: The Next Wave 2020
Baywatch FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Baywatch, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Baywatch?
Baywatch runs 1 hour 56 minutes (116 minutes).
When was Baywatch released?
Baywatch was released on May 25, 2017.
Who directed Baywatch?
Baywatch was directed by Seth Gordon.
More films by Seth Gordon Who is in the cast of Baywatch?
Baywatch stars Dwayne Johnson, Ilfenesh Hadera and Kelly Rohrbach, among 10 credited actors.
How much did Baywatch make at the box office?
Baywatch grossed $177.9 million worldwide ($58.1 million domestic, $119.8 million international) on a budget of $69 million.
How is Baywatch rated?
Baywatch has 5.5/10 on IMDb, 18% on Rotten Tomatoes, 37 on Metacritic and 61% on TMDB.
Does Baywatch have a post-credit scene?
Yes. Baywatch has an extra scene during or after the credits, so it is worth staying seated.
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