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Review #320 of 365
Movie Review of Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny (2006) [R] 93 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $4.75
Where Viewed: United Artists Denver Pavilions Stadium 15, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 27 November 2006
Time: 10:30 p.m.
Film's Official Website
DVD Release Date: unscheduled
Directed by: Liam Lynch (Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic)
Written by: Jack Black (Tenacious D: The Complete Masterworks), Kyle Gass (Tenacious D: The Complete Masterworks), and Liam Lynch (Fake Movies)
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Jack Black (Nacho Libre) • Kyle Gass ("The Jake Effect") • Jason Reed • Ronnie James Dio • Troy Gentile (Nacho Libre) • Paul F. Tompkins • Amy Poehler ("Saturday Night Live") • Tim Robbins (Catch a Fire) • David Grohl ("Saturday Night Live" Musical Guest) • Ben Stiller (School for Scoundrels) • Colin Hanks (King Kong) • David Koechner (Let's Go to Prison) • David Krumholtz (Bobby) • Meat Loaf (Fight Club)
Soundtrack: order the CD below
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
Hmm, guess you sort of have to be a tenacious Jack Black fan to understand the necessity for creation of a film written to tell the fictional story of the rise of the Jack Black / Kyle Gass band, Tenacious D. Honestly, this film seemed like an excellent example of what happens when egos drive film production. During the late 90s, Mr. Black and Mr. Gass created their band, recorded some music, and did a few episodes of a tv show that wasn't very popular or noticed about their band. The released and album and some videos and did some touring. I know that I don't know everything there is to know in the entertainment industry. I admit that I try hard to keep abreast of what's up scouring the publications and watching the entertainment shows, but I do miss a lot—hey, there's a lot out their to keep track of. Occasionally, I am chided by friends who say that just because I haven't heard of something, doesn't mean it's got no possibility of being a great thing. Fair enough. To which I then ask, "So why haven't I heard of it?" It's kind of a funny inside joke on the one hand, but on the other, really, if something is that good or that culturally significant, wouldn't most informed people have heard of it? So, there you go. I'd never heard of Tenacious D prior to seeing the previews for the film. I had incorrectly assumed that the film was the beginning of Tenacious D rather than the likely end of Tenacious D. For now, having heard of Tenacious D, seen the origin film, and listened to some of the music, I cannot see this band being afforded much opportunity to contribute further to the culture. I would guess that the music and the film will appeal to exactly the same minute niche to which the tv show and albums must have appealed, but it is difficult to envision it appealing to any one else.
"…an excellent example of what happens when egos drive film production… packed…with dialog and antics which confuse cleverness with raunchiness…"
With that said, I would emphasize that the film is not without some creatively brilliant spots and the two main stars are not without talent. Unfortunately, the net sum total is a tribute, again, to egos not vision, and the egos ran wild at the expense of a film that is generally not very entertaining. The brand of comedy which seems hatched of a 1000 inside jokes of a close band of teenage boys that never quite grew up but who keep their jokes alive and well into middle age. Let's face it. Jack Black is 37 years old, even if he looks like he's 25 or 27, and Kyle Gass is 46. You can play a 22-year old or a 25-year old or even a 30-year old in a movie and that doesn't mean you are. The film gets off to a pretty good start with an outstanding opening, rock opera sequence. Troy Gentile, who runs the risk of being permanently typecast as the younger Jack Black after portraying him in Nacho Libre as well, brings the house down with an in-your-face performance of a self-referential rock romp tearing up the Christian social values of his prude right wing family. The result leads to a head on collision with his father played by Meat Loaf, ending with the young JB seeking advice from a Ronnie James Dio poster who tells him to get out of his repressive house and go to Hollywood. 13-year old JB, runs away from home with his guitar in tow, and travels the USA checking out every town named Hollywood until he finally reaches the Hollywood, Hollywood, CA at around age 19 and now played by Jack Black. A trip to Venice Beach fulfills stage one of his destiny when he runs into Kyle Gass (Kyle Gass) whom he hears playing for tips along the bike path and immediately feels the two are soul mates in a future band project. Eventually, Kyle takes him under his wing, lies to him about his real mastery of the profession, but still trains him to be a rock legend including the all-important power slide. When Gass's parents cut off the rent money, the two are forced to take action to become a real band and make money to pay the rent in an open-mic competition. Astute analysis of covers of rock magazines reveals that all of the great rock legends use the same guitar pick. A cameo appearance by Ben Stiller, who also appeared in one of Tenacious D's music videos, this time as a guitar shop owner, brings Kyle and JB closer to their goals by letting them in on the legend of the POD (Pick of Destiny). Formed in ancient times from the tooth of Satan himself, the guitar pick has been used throughout the ages to birth new and brilliant forms of guitar music. It's current location, they discover, is in the Rock Museum where it is guarded day and night. Obtaining the POD becomes their sole obsession. From that point on, the film spirals out of control with some mildly amusing scenes and some catastrophically absurd and boring scenes. The finale of the film which as the 'boys' in a rock-off competition against Satan (David Grohl) was nearly as good as the opening sequence, but not quite. Unfortunately, the co-writers…Mr. Black and Mr. Gass with help from director Liam Lynch, packed the film with dialog and antics which confuse cleverness with raunchiness. Incessant references to male genitalia, mostly, stifle and detract from any real talent present. It is difficult to say if the film would have been that much better without this stuff, but it certainly didn't help the film's overall significance. Nor, frankly, did it make the film funny let alone funnier. Few films this year have caused me to wonder more often during the running time, "My gosh how long is this film?", "My gosh where is this film going?", "My gosh who thought this was a good idea?", and "Please let Peter Jackson make a sequel to King Kong so that Jack Black can have a role more worthy of his talents" more often that this film.
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Other Projects Featuring Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny (2006)
Cast Members
Jack Black
• Kyle Gass • Troy GentileAmy Poehler
• Tim Robbins • David GrohlBen Stiller
• Colin Hanks • David KoechnerDavid Krumholtz
• Meat LoafDirector
Liam Lynch
Co-Writers
Jack Black
• Kyle Gass • Liam Lynch| Book | CD Soundtrack | Related DVD |
| VHS | DVD | Calendar |
Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny (2006) Review-lite [150-word cap]
One has to be a tenacious Jack Black fan to understand the necessity for the creation of a film written to tell the fictional story of the rise of the Jack Black / Kyle Gass band, Tenacious D.--an excellent example of what happens when egos drive film production. The film is not without some creatively brilliant spots and the two main stars are not without talent. Unfortunately, the net sum total generally is not very entertaining. The brand of comedy seems hatched of a 1000 inside jokes of a close band of teenage boys that never quite grew up but who keep their jokes alive and well into middle age. Opening with a raucous rock opera featuring Meat Loaf, young Troy Gentile, and Ronnie James Dio, sets expectations high only to leave them wildly unfulfilled until the finale rock off between JB, KG, and Satan himself starts the redemption process.
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