Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron star in a scene from the movie "Baywatch." The Catholic News Service classification is O -- morally offensive. (CNS/Paramount)

By Catholic News Service

When a disgraced Olympic swimmer (Zac Efron) joins the lifeguarding, and amateur sleuthing, team of the title, his selfish ways bring him into conflict with its longtime leader (Dwayne Johnson).

Director Seth Gordon’s action comedy, adapted from the television series that began on NBC but had a longer life in syndication, succeeds neither as a pop-culture spoof nor as a crime-solving adventure. Though the film’s self-conscious flesh peddling is mostly just tiresome, its surfeit of low-minded humor eventually registers as degrading.

Some gunplay and physical violence with momentary but extreme gore, strong sexual content, including full nudity and off-screen nonmarital activity, several profanities and a few milder oaths, pervasive rough and crude language. The Catholic News Service classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

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