If you’re a fan of the MacGruber sketch on SNL, you’ll love this film. If you’re not a fan, you’ll still love this film! It was hilarious. It’s a nonstop comedy mixing NSFW jokes with a plot which pokes fun at all super-spy/evil villain movies. Granted, I saw it at the World Premiere at the South By Southwest Film Festival where almost everyone wanted to see the film and was laughing and cheering the whole time, but I think that attitude will translate to theaters around the country. I kept thinking to myself, if I was in a regular theater on a Friday or Saturday night, would I still be laughing this much? I think I would. This is definitely a movie to take a group of friends to. You’ll be laughing at MacGruber and you’ll be laughing at each other for laughing at it. But how could they turn this short sketch that always ends in a fatal disaster into a feature length film? Well, let me tell you…
The movie begins with the government tracking down and recruiting MacGruber on a mission to stop his arch nemesis, Dieter Von Cunth, played by Val Kilmer. Reluctantly, MacGruber agrees and begins to assemble his all star team which came with a bunch of unexpected cameos from wrestlers of the WWE. Everything about this movie will make you smile, smirk, and laugh out loud. The SNL cast, Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, and Maya Rudolph deliver spot on performances that you would expect from their show personas. Val Kilmer and Ryan Phillippe give us the other half of the formula with Ryan playing the straight man, Lt. Dixon Piper, and Val Kilmer playing the over the top villain. There are a couple good running gags including MacGruber’s tape deck blasting smooth 80s jams and the inevitable making high-tech gadgets out of household items. There’s also a ridiculous sex scene that could rival the one from Team America: World Police…and Ghost.
MacGruber holding the tape deck from his Miata
MacGruber is pretty straight forward, there are a couple of twists and turns in the beginning and end of the film, but through the middle…it’s the typical spy movie mission where the characters have to collect information, figure out what’s going to happen next, and then try and stop it. MacGruber just gets around to do this in his own weird unique way that guarantees outrageous and ridiculous scenes including those scenes that just don’t make any sense but you just go with it because it’s MacGruber…and he’s a super-spy, he knows what he’s doing, right?
MacGruber (Will Forte), Vicki St. Elmo (Kristen Wiig), and Lt. Dixon Piper (Ryan Phillippe) running from imminent death
Let’s be honest, with movies like this you either set your expectations low or prepare for a load of crap. Comedies like this are easy to lead off the track since you’re dealing with this kind of humor but MacGruber surprisingly keeps it together and is a fun entertaining film that you’ll be walking out of with a smile on your face and craving more 80s tunes. You won’t be disappointed unless you were expecting McGyver. I wish I could make this review end in an explosion. BOOM!
This post is part of our SXSW Film Festival coverageThe South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conferences & Festivals offer the unique convergence of original music, independent films, and emerging technologies. Fostering creative and professional growth alike, SXSW® is the premier destination for discovery. The internationally acclaimed, nine-day Film Festival celebrates raw innovation and emerging talent, with a truly diverse program ranging from provocative documentaries to subversive Hollywood comedies.Visit South by Southwest’s Official Website
I apologize for not updating more but the South By Southwest Conference and Film Festival is hectic! There’s so much to do, I don’t know how anybody can get it all done. I flew in Friday night and today is Wednesday, I’ve seen over a dozen films in the past 4 days and almost all of them have been great. Here’s a quick recap of what I’ve been up to. I’ll be writing more in depth reviews when the festival is over.
