MacGruber

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source: MacGruber

It seems to be the hidden goal of every idea in the universe to end up in movie form. Whether it started as a TV show, comic book, video game or an action figure (possibly featuring kung-fu grip); everything strives to be blown up and projected to a captive audience. Many of them fail, in extraordinary fashion (ahem… McHale's Navy, Steel, Double Dragon and Masters of the Universe, respectively), but some break through the barrier of novelty and succeed as memorable theatrical experiences (the recent J.J. Abrams reboot of Star Trek deserves mention, along with the Gothic wonderment of The Dark Knight). In the particular world of translating comedy skits, Saturday Night Live takes center stage as the longest running live comedy show with a continually growing treasure trove of material, but they are equally challenged with bringing about quality movies. While many will celebrate the original Wayne's World and The Blues Brothers, we also hope beyond hope to block out train wrecks like It's Pat. The newest effort to come out of the SNL think-tank, after a decade-long hiatus, seems primed to ride the wave of 80's nostalgia, but will it catch hold? Read on… MacGruber is an absurdist parody of the 80's adventure show starring the jack-of-all-trades namesake, MacGuyver. In the original SNL skits, each one only ran thirty seconds while MacGruber would ask for random knick-knacks in order to build a bomb-defusing device and save everyone trapped inside a repeatedly locked room. He never fails to distract himself past the point of detonation, killing everyone. The feature length version finds MacGruber yanked out of seclusion into the armed forces as the only one who can track down his arch-enemy, Dieter Von Cunth, who gains possession of a nuclear warhead and plans to reduce Washington D.C. to tiny piles of radioactive dust. I'll fully admit the first time I heard they were pushing forward with the idea of a MacGruber feature film, I thought it would be a waste of time, space and celluloid. Yet, months later when that first trailer rolled out I found myself shocked to actually be chuckling and thinking it actually had a shot at being something worth watching. Many people believed it couldn't be done, that an absurdist parody born from a 30-second skit could never last for over 80 minutes, but writers John Solomon, Jorma Taccone and co-writer/star Will Forte succeeded at just that. As numerous film business outlets have reported by now, the opening weekend box numbers were dismal and some are already calling it the 'bomb of the year', a moniker I strongly feel is undeserved, at least not in terms of quality. One of the keys to triumph was pushing each and every joke just a handful of beats past the point of normal, 'safer' comedies. Both of the main SNL alums, Will Forte and Kristen Wiig held on doggedly to drain each moment of the last possible chuckle, which for some audience members actually makes it even funnier. I felt Ryan Phillipe was an odd choice for the straight man because I didn't think he could hold the screen against Forte, but he grew on me during the film and in the end proved that he was indeed willing to 'go there' to get the laughs. As for the villainous Val Kilmer and his portrayal of Von Cunth, he's at his best when his characters are smarter than the rest of the people on screen, and the crowd, and the writers (see Real Genius or Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang). While Kilmer doesn't come near that level of comedic ownership, he does balance out nicely with the rest of the cast and digs into the second-grade humor when it's called for. While it may play out to be one of the year's biggest box office disasters, MacGruber will ride on and gain a solid life on DVD as a cult comedy, not unlike Hot Rod, starring Andy Samberg, another SNL superstar. No matter what happens, they can always rest easy knowing it's still better than It's Pat.

Very amusing movie, just have to be in a silly state of mind and not expect to much than this movie will deliver a lot. A lot of silly humour which had its affect. This movie is crap in the best way, meaning you're watching and won't think good of it in the first minutes but it proves you wrong and you'll end up liking this even loving it. All the characters have a issue that makes them fun to watch. This movie needs you to pay some attention to get some of the things. i give this a 5 out of 5 stars ! Line 10...

I have never walked out of a movie, but I came very close with this one. I should have known better than going to this movie, since I don't find the MacGruber skit that funny to begin with. However, some of the reviews were positive, so I thought I would give it a shot. First of all, I do have to caveat what I'm saying, by explaining that there were some people in the theater laughing at the jokes. Of course, these are the people who think an upper-decker is prime comedy. They also laughed more than once at the bad guy's name "Cunth", especially when proceeded by "I'm going to pound some..." I almost smiled a couple of times, but those were really closer to grimaces. Anyway, the "best" jokes in my opinion happened in the trailer. Of course, the jokes that are too raunchy for the trailer do amuse some. Those jokes would be the scatological jokes and the sex jokes, and occasionally both at the same time.

I haven't laughed this much since BRUNO. Its great to see hard R rated films. Humor for adults. Kids from this generation, maybe they'll get it. It is nuts to the wall funny. Will Forte gives a comedian's star making performance. The funny thing is that it really looks like an action film. Some actors play it straight while Wiig and Forte pile on the laughs. There are a couple of scenes that are just laugh out loud funny. I gave a thunderous laugh, almost like a scream, I didn't care. Terms like upper decker will forever stay with me. It is probably the best SNL movie since WAYNE'S WORLD, strike that, since THE BLUES BROTHERS. I didn't laugh as hard watching WAYNE'S WORLD. For a great time,see this insane comedy. Classic Macgrubber!

I'm guessing most of the people who are hating on this movie haven't seen it yet. The bottom line is that it is very funny. It definitely earned the R rating with loads of crude jokes, language, situations and content. If you like over the top humor, then this film is for you. It doesn't play out really like the SNL skits. The movie stands on its own, with MacGruber rounding up a team to take on Dieter Von Cunth. The hilarity ensues immediately, with joke after joke scoring big laughs. You will see MacGruber improvise, score with the ladies(live or dead) and get revenge on a couple occasions. MacGruber had our theater laughing hard throughout the film.

Will Forte of the Saturday Night Live troupe of strolling comic players gets his chance to star in MacGruber a satire on those action heroes who accomplished impossible feats. For some reason this film propagates the notion that this started during the Reagan presidency. Personally I think this could have been set in any age when film was an entertainment medium. Val Kilmer who played in a few such films back in the day is the evil villain who has a stolen nuclear missile planned for Washington, DC. He also is a personal enemy of MacGruber so when General Powers Boothe summons him for the mission, Forte has a lot to make Kilmer answer for. MacGruber is not much more than a lengthy Saturday Night Live sketch given a big budget. Still that's not bad and Forte does go way over the top in this part. The kind of role where it is impossible to overact, the kind you generally find in horror films. Fans of Forte's work on Saturday Night Live should enjoy this and others shouldn't take it too seriously.