The Rock Literally Goes to Space with Siri in New Apple "Film"
There are "Fast and the Furious' sequels less over-the-top than this.
On Sunday, Apple released an ad for the iPhone 7 that’s longer and more action-packed than most movie trailers. Starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the commercial features the self-described new hardest-working man in show business traveling the world and parts beyond to prove there’s nothing he can’t accomplish — as long as Siri is there to pitch in, of course.
The three-minute, 45-second video, titled “The Rock x Siri Dominate the Day,” takes the Rock’s already cartoonishly over-the-top persona, which itself is an exaggerated version of his old lovably arrogant pro wrestling character, to dizzying new heights. That’s literally true, as the commercial’s climax finds the Rock face-timing from outer space, hoping he doesn’t cause an eclipse while he’s out there. Some of the Rock’s activities are so larger-than-life it’s hard to work Siri into them, but the ad manages to show how it can organize tasks, give directions, take selfies, and so on.
Part of what’s fun about the ad is that the Rock really can do anything. Sure, he busts out some driving moves straight out of his Fast and the Furious work, and the bit where he takes command of an Akron-bound plane and announces it’s headed to Rome really, probably should come across like hijacking if the Rock weren’t so damn charismatic about it. But Johnson also touches up some Renaissance art, puts together a fashion show themed around the four elements — one of which is rock, obviously — and tears it up on the traditional Chinese string instrument, the guzheng.
Perhaps the most important revelation of the commercial is the Rock’s excellent choice of wallpaper image: The iconic 1994 photo of Johnson sporting the best turtleneck-and-fanny-pack combo in recorded history.
It’s a fun ad, all things considered, even if it is more than a little ridiculous. After all, who really uses Siri for boring stuff like organizing one’s schedule, when one could be trying to stump her by asking obscure trivia questions or testing the limits of her A.I. by trying to engage her in conversation? You know…. things normal, non-The-Rock people do.
