This film, at first glance just a bit of adolescent fluff, is very much worth watching. Among its happy reasons:
1.it is expertly crafted: you're in the hands of very skilled folks , both behind and in front of the camera, who are masters of the art of pleasing with seeming artlessness
2.it pivots around an actual live person, a superstar, who â" and this is the heart of its appeal, its unique grabber - PLAYS HMSELF! Not just in a cameo role or walk- on, but in scene after scene after scene, looming gigantically throughout yet always with the actor's attribute that is most prized by movie directors â" understatement.
3.For almost the entire movie this superstar must portray himself as his own negation - a failure, an utter incompetent, a flop of zero market value. How many of today's multi-millionaire superstars would have the â" maturity? Character? Self-cnfidence? Whatever â" to portray themselves as the total antithesis of their quintessential image? KD breaks new ground â" and he does it with all the grace and charm and acting skill you could want.
4.The film's dramatic structure is worthy of the classics: it spins out not one but two fantasies in equal measure, equally compelling, totally opposite in content yet inseparably interlocked, providing all the necessary dramatic tension. On the one hand there's the trite adolescent sunshine daydream; on the other, the dark nightmare of a superhero whose power suddenly and inexplicably vanishes. Two universal fantasies. It takes a deft sensibility to dream it up and pull it off.
5.The cast are all so splendid in their respctive roles and a pleasure to behold. Taylor Gray of course, and Brandon Jackson; and James Belushi, as coach Amross, creates a memorable new comic character.
6.Beyond all of the above and more is that the film never lets you forget one important fact: it's all a spoof, a slice of plain good fun. So, watching it, you never have to be anxious or frowny; just be cool, love it for what it is, have a couple of hours of harmless fun - regardless of your age (I'm 82) and relish a new-found respect for the man KD and for all the others who made it happen!
1.it is expertly crafted: you're in the hands of very skilled folks , both behind and in front of the camera, who are masters of the art of pleasing with seeming artlessness
2.it pivots around an actual live person, a superstar, who â" and this is the heart of its appeal, its unique grabber - PLAYS HMSELF! Not just in a cameo role or walk- on, but in scene after scene after scene, looming gigantically throughout yet always with the actor's attribute that is most prized by movie directors â" understatement.
3.For almost the entire movie this superstar must portray himself as his own negation - a failure, an utter incompetent, a flop of zero market value. How many of today's multi-millionaire superstars would have the â" maturity? Character? Self-cnfidence? Whatever â" to portray themselves as the total antithesis of their quintessential image? KD breaks new ground â" and he does it with all the grace and charm and acting skill you could want.
4.The film's dramatic structure is worthy of the classics: it spins out not one but two fantasies in equal measure, equally compelling, totally opposite in content yet inseparably interlocked, providing all the necessary dramatic tension. On the one hand there's the trite adolescent sunshine daydream; on the other, the dark nightmare of a superhero whose power suddenly and inexplicably vanishes. Two universal fantasies. It takes a deft sensibility to dream it up and pull it off.
5.The cast are all so splendid in their respctive roles and a pleasure to behold. Taylor Gray of course, and Brandon Jackson; and James Belushi, as coach Amross, creates a memorable new comic character.
6.Beyond all of the above and more is that the film never lets you forget one important fact: it's all a spoof, a slice of plain good fun. So, watching it, you never have to be anxious or frowny; just be cool, love it for what it is, have a couple of hours of harmless fun - regardless of your age (I'm 82) and relish a new-found respect for the man KD and for all the others who made it happen!