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Review #680 of 365
Movie Review of Disaster Movie (2008) [PG-13] 90 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $4.50
Where Viewed: United Artists Denver Pavilions Stadium 15, Denver, CO
When Seen: 1 September 2008 @ 5:00 pm
DVD Release Date: Unscheduled (please check back)
After the Credits: there are some snippets during the credits but nothing after the credits
Directed by: Jason Friedberg (Meet the Spartans) • Aaron Seltzer (Meet the Spartans)
Screenplay by: Jason Friedberg (Meet the Spartans) • Aaron Seltzer (Meet the Spartans)
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Matt Lanter (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) • Vanessa Minnillo (Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer) • G. Thang ("In Case of Emergency") • Nicole Parker (Meet the Spartans) • Crista Flanagan (Meet the Spartans) • Kimberly Kardashian ("Dancing with the Stars") • Ike Barinholtz (Meet the Spartans) • Carmen Electra (Meet the Spartans) • Tony Cox (Epic Movie) • Tad Hilgenbrink (Lost Boys: The Tribe) • Nick Steele (Meet the Spartans)
After a pretty successful and critically more well-received than their previous films Meet the Spartans, co-writers / co-directors Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer convinced someone to let them have another quick go at it. And, it's unfortunate, maybe it was too rushed, maybe it was too presumptuous, but Disaster Movie is nowhere nearly as good as Meet the Spartans (MtS), which, of course, was a better than average but still not great spoof movie. What made MtS work where Disaster Movie fails? With MtS they pretty much chose to spoof all epic films by sticking to the plot of 300. At first, it seemed like they might be doing this in Disaster Movie with the plot of choice being that of J.J. Abrams way over-hyped Cloverfield. In fact, the absolute best part of Disaster Movie is the first 15 minute sequence that roughly follows the opening of Cloverfield. The star of Disaster Movie is the former contestant on "Manhunt: Search of America's Hottest Male Model" or some such thing, Matt Lanter—who steps right into the role of Will and has fun with it. Fortunately, he's learned not to take himself too seriously. The opening, just as it does in Cloverfield, occurs in Will's loft with a birthday party—in this case it's his Sweet 16 Party that he never had as a kid. All of his friends and a few famous types have showed up for the huge event. Oh Dr. Phil is there, Jessica Simson, Javier Bardem, and a Calvin Klein underwear model. No, of course not the real people mentioned. This is a spoof movie, remember.
…Nicole Parker and Ike Barinholtz are inspired, absolutely tremendous in their spoofs…
Nicole Parker and Ike Barinholtz are inspired, absolutely tremendous in their spoofs of the famous people or characters each portrays. Mr. Barinholtz, in particular, who got shafted a bit in Meet the Spartans takes on all of the following throughout the film: Javier Bardem, Hellboy, Batman, Beowulf, and Prince Caspian to name a few while Ms Parker whoops it up as the princess from Enchanted, Amy Winehouse, and Jessica Simpson also just ot name a few. What's the coolest part about the film throughout is how current the spoofery is.
Had the duo stuck to their amusing and far superior formula used in MtS, they probably would have had a winner on their hands with Disaster Movie as well.
The film mocks Indiana Jones IV and Wanted, for example, and they barely just came out. In any case, within that first 15 minutes, before chaos asteroids break out in NYC, the best parts of the film unfurl with a great Javier Bardem/Superbad segment, a Womens Wrestling segment, which was followed quickly by an hilarious High School Musical rip off that's as funny as anything to appear in a spoof film in years. Mr. Friedberg and Mr. Seltzer seem to really enjoy these dance film spoofs as they had a couple in MtS and a couple her in Disaster Movie, but this HSM one is great and inspired. Unfortunately, after that, the film goes down hill. It's unclear what forced them to deviate from the Cloverfield plot, but the film just doesn't flow well and ends up reminiscent of their less effective spoofs "Date Movie" and "Epic Movie". Had the duo stuck to their amusing and far superior formula used in MtS, they probably would have had a winner on their hands with Disaster Movie as well.
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Other Projects Featuring Disaster Movie (2008)
Cast Members
Matt Lanter
• Vanessa Minnillo • G. ThangNicole Parker
• Crista Flanagan • Kimberly KardashianIke Barinholtz
• Carmen Electra • Tony CoxTad Hilgenbrink
Director
Jason Friedberg () • Aaron Seltzer
Writers
Jason Friedberg
• Aaron SeltzerUnfortunately, co-writers / co-directors Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer returned to their old ways with Disaster Movie instead of utilizing their successful formula devised for Meet the Spartans. This regression, however, also sank this movie deeper than the Titanic—a true disaster movie. The first 15 minutes are great as it sticks to Cloverfield's plot with an great 10,000 BC intro, but after that, is just cameos and hi jinx with out a coherent aim.
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