The thing about Spaced, Shaun, and Hot Fuzz is that they are actually funny. They are well written, energetically performed, and knowingly well-read in the medium of pop culture. PAUL sadly, does not fall into any of those categories, and the absence of Edgar Wright is quite palpable. In a nutshell, it's an incredibly lame plot, with tired, forced performances from Pegg and Frost doing a watered down version of their double act. A substantial amount of the humour is taken up with two running 'gags', namely a comic cover featuring an alien with three tits, and people mistaking them for being gay, because they are two men travelling together in an RV. Get it?? I'll pause so you can finish laughing.
Famous lines from popular scifi films are lifted in their entirety and used to fill gaps in the script (Seriously lads, this whole geek-chic thing is really past it's use-by date now), kristen wiig appears to deploy none of her comedic talents whatsoever beyond uttering profanities, and the film dedicates itself throughout to making patronising, superior swipes at religion, portraying it in a ludicrously simplistic light. Don't get me wrong, I'm no churchgoer or bible basher myself, it just felt a little mean is all.
The titular alien does have a couple of good lines, and comedy stalwart Jason Bateman is on top form and a sheer pleasure to watch as ever, the rest of it though is an uphill struggle of weak set pieces, uninspired dialogue, nutshots, and a cringingly bad first-toke-on-a-joint scene.
Just...put the American mainstream down guys, and get on with The World's End.
Famous lines from popular scifi films are lifted in their entirety and used to fill gaps in the script (Seriously lads, this whole geek-chic thing is really past it's use-by date now), kristen wiig appears to deploy none of her comedic talents whatsoever beyond uttering profanities, and the film dedicates itself throughout to making patronising, superior swipes at religion, portraying it in a ludicrously simplistic light. Don't get me wrong, I'm no churchgoer or bible basher myself, it just felt a little mean is all.
The titular alien does have a couple of good lines, and comedy stalwart Jason Bateman is on top form and a sheer pleasure to watch as ever, the rest of it though is an uphill struggle of weak set pieces, uninspired dialogue, nutshots, and a cringingly bad first-toke-on-a-joint scene.
Just...put the American mainstream down guys, and get on with The World's End.