"Superhero Movie" * (out of ****)Given all the hype about the recent Batman movie, "The Dark Knight" and the box-office records it is breaking, I decided to rent this superhero "spoof". Those who know me or read this blog know of my strong contempt for the comic book genre. I find the films to be mindless and pathetic. All of them are pretty much a waste of time. At least all the ones I've seen. So it was with some pleasure I went about watching this film.
"Superhero Movie" is just as big a mess as real superhero movies. I thought the film would belittle the brain dead genre instead it becomes part of it. "Superhero Movie" makes no attempt to show the absurdity of the genre. Why are there superheroes in the first place? How do they get these powers? And why do they always wear tights? Craig Mazin, the suppose "writer" and "director" of this "film" doesn't make one attempt to show the stupidity of the basic idea of superheroes.
What the film primarily mocks is the original "Spider-Man" film. Which was made back in 2002. Way to go to keep up with the times! The film follows "Spider-Man"s formula even by casting actors who look like cartoon versions of the originals. There is Rick Riker (Drake Bell) an unpopular loser with no friends who drools over the pretty neighbor Jill Johnson (Sara Paxton) who doesn't know he exist.
One day on a field trip to a science lab a super dragonfly bites Rick on the neck giving him superhuman powers. And along the way he meets Lou Landers (Christopher McDonald) who runs the science lab and has created a device to end sickness as we know it. Lou's nephew goes to the same school as Rick, Lance Landers (Ryan Hansen) who is also dating Jill.
And as in "Spider-Man" Rick lives with his grandparents (Leslie Nielsen and Marion Ross) after his parents died, in a scene which I think is suppose to resemble "Batman".
All of the jokes in this film are pretty lame and spend way too much time on flatulence! One sequence goes on for minutes! But "Superhero Movie" takes no chances. It doesn't dwell into the mindset of the genre. The "jokes" in the film do not come from spoofing superheroes but from the story itself. For instance. It is suppose to be funny that Leslie Nielsen keeps telling Rick that now he has superpowers he can pick up hot babes, though he doesn't use the word babes, but another word which begins which a "b".
Craig Mazin wrote "Scary Movie 3" and part 4. It has the same kind of humor. I actually liked "Scary Movie 4" and the more recent "Epic Movie" but the genre is getting a little old. Only once in a while do these films work. In order for parody to work you have to show the viewer why you are mocking something in the first place. Why is it worth making fun of? Explain that to the audience. Let your jokes come from the basic idea of what you mock.
If you want a more clever "Spider-Man" rip-off listen to "Werid Al" Yankovic's "Ode to a Superhero". At least that was somewhat clever.
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