Dwayne Johnson’s new Apple ‘short film’ with Siri is the company’s best ad

Dwayne Johnson doesn’t do anything half-assed.

Whether it’s a terrible B-movie, a Fast and Furious film or a nearly four-minute long commercial for Apple, Johnson regards every role with the same level of dedication. Make no mistake; the Rock’s newest project is nothing more than an advertisement for Apple’s products and Siri. But as far as these types of commercials go, “The Rock x Siri Dominate the Day” is very impressive.

The premise for the ad is simple. Johnson is a busy man who needs to get more things done in the course of the day that is humanely possible. As a result, he relies on Siri to help him with everything, from ordering a Lyft (notice that Apple stayed away from the problematic Uber, a company Apple has reportedly had issues with) to repairing a satellite in space and snapping a quick selfie.

Even though it’s blatantly designed to sell you on Apple’s technology, there’s a charm to the video that does make it feel unique. Apple has always been a company that likes to test what it can get away with in its commercials, often referring to longer pieces like this as short films, but those haven’t always worked as well. During one Apple press event, the company aired a new commercial that focused on the memories of an elderly man. The concept simply wasn’t executed as well as the company would have hoped and left people scratching their heads. Alternatively, when Apple has gotten commercials right, like the Christmas ad from 2013 (below), it’s been on the receiving end of applause.

In its latest advertisement, Apple has upped the game. It has the charm of its best commercials but does manage to feel like a little bit more than a simple product video. This should all be credited to Johnson’s comedic timing and the charm he emits throughout the commercial. Even a small reference to his lock screen — the now infamous photo of Johnson from the ‘90s wearing a black turtleneck and fanny pack — gives the commercial a little something extra.

When the short film was first announced, people were wary of what it would look like, calling out Apple’s senior vice president, Eddy Cue, for organizing what seemed like a surefire disaster. Following the debut of the film, which went live early this morning on YouTube, most people have changed their tune, with many giving Apple credit for taking something as silly as this concept and leaning into that.

The question is whether Apple’s short film will ever be turned into a full-length movie. According to Johnson, never say never.

Of course, the first thought that popped into every iPhone user’s mind after watching the video was “how great would it be if Siri was actually as good as this commercial made it out to be?” At least this video provides iPhone users with an aspirational fantasy world that includes a perfectly functioning Siri.