Monday, September 17, 2007

Another Sad Excuse

I actually have never talked about or critiqued a movie or movie critic before, but this sounds like a fun challenge. The latest movie I have seen is Balls Of Fury (Robert Ben Garant), the maker of such movies Taxi, Night at the Museum, the Reno 911 movie and the show itself. All though I can't live without Reno 911, I was disappointed with Night at the Museum and Balls of Fury itself. Bell puts it that it turned out to be just as bad if not worse than the other movies made by Garant.

I read a review by Josh Bell of the Las Vegas Weekly. Like me, he too wasn't very impressed with Garant's previous projects and that led to an upsetting Balls of Fury staring Dan Fogler, a retired ping-pong champion, Randy. Randy saw his father beaten and killed due to betting on the ping-pong match. Years later, an overweight and out of shape Randy is picked up by an FBI agent, George Lopez, in order to catch a murderer, Master Feng (Christopher Walken).

I'm surprised I didn't read "I walked out half way through" by Bell because he wasn't very fond of the stupid jokes of ping-pong being a killing art.


All of this is really just an excuse for lots of jokes that treat ping-pong with the seriousness of an ancient killing art, a gimmick that gets old quickly.


And I totally agree this statement because it truly did get old. There is not much to go off of with the joke of an ancient killing art that is ping-pong. Bell also says that in the movie there is way too much time opening the plot of catching the killer (Walken). Randy has to enter a tournament in order to get an invitation to Feng's secret tournament which is really a cover for a mass production of weapons. Then he goes through training with an old master. I think that this takes way too much time up. But really, what else would have gone in that spot?

Well nothing really. And that is way I don't think it is that good of a movie. It has no depth. And besides, a ping-pong killer isn't good of a plot anyway. And like I said it got old fast.

Bell states that there was an attempt to be funny but those were ruined by:

pointless digressions for unfunny gay jokes and rivalries
that never pan out. The movie is packed with clever cameos from the likes of
David Koechner and Patton Oswalt, but the funniest isolated bits don’t add up to
a satisfying whole.


I once again agree with Bell and that he thinks that the wanna be comedy could have at least been creditable but loses all hope due to the ending. I thought the ending was too fast and didn't bring the plot to a smooth landing. I think Bell wants to tell us that movies like this come around once in awhile; but don't see them. They are just a sad excuse to go to the movies.

7 comments:

Nick R. said...

I thought that movie looked terrible when I saw a preview for it and now don't want to see it even more.

tunafish said...

I really liked this critique because you developed your opinion really well, and were able to support it with what the critic said.

dandominates said...

i agree with nick R for once in my life on this one. Even the movie trailer didnt have any funny clips init and they always have that. Maybe the only good part that i can see from this.... cristopher walkin...who is a stud

black cat(sam) said...

Hi Dave you gave a great critique i thought. you expressed your feelings really well and your mind is a beautiful thing when i comes to movie critiqueing... dont quit, keep going mabye someday this could become a career cutie. you don't suck

Awesometown Blogett said...

I didn't actually "read" your whole review, but I only needed one sentance to tell that you are a genius. Your oppening sentance left me in tears. I felt like I was right there with you on not critiquing a critic before. I felt a real connection between us. Dan does not dominate. I want you.... to write more stuff.

common sense said...

I agree with everything Black Cat whoever that man (or woman) of mystery may be. You did a good job of getting your point across. So...keep writing. When your told to by Mr. K of course.

Mr. K said...

Dave: Nice job overall. Your disdain for the movie shines through loud and clear. Maybe a few specific examples from the film would've helped a bit more, and the first few paragraphs of your post are kind of confusing, but other than that, a good read.