Leslie Nielson is a worldwide institution. Even naked.
"Scary Movie 4" Review
Anna Farris- Cindy Campbell
Regina Hall- Brenda Meeks
Craig Bierko- Tom Ryan
Anthony Anderson- Mahalik
DeRay Davis- Marvin
Leslie Nielson- President Harris
Garrett Masuda- Ghost Boy
Charlie Sheen- Tom Logan
Bill Pullman- Bearded Man
Michael Madsen- Man
Dr. Phillip McGraw- Himself
Shaquille O'Neal- Himself
Carmen Electra- Holly
Chris Elliott- Idiot
Directed by David Zucker
Screenplay by Craig Mazin and Jim Abrahams, based on a story by Craig Mazin, based on characters by Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Buddy Johnson, Phil Beauman, Jason Friedberg, and Aaron Seltzer
Distributed by Miramax Films, Dimension Films, and The Weinstein Company
Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual humor throughout, some comic violence and language
Runtime- 83 minutes
Website: http://www.scarymovie.com/
This reviewer saw the first "Scary Movie," directed by the great Keenan Ivory Wayans, and enjoyed it (that scene where the body builder female gym coach has her, well, male thingie, drop down… still haunting and hysterical). It was a decent send up of the recent, at the time, spate of horror movies (mostly of the slasher persuasion). The movie was successful and a sequel was quickly made. "Scary Movie 2," also by Wayans, was even more successful (although this reviewer didn't see it. It's on an ever growing list of movies still to see). A third movie was most definitely in the works, but the creative team behind it would change. Wayans was gone, replaced by David Zucker, of "Airplane!" and "The Naked Gun" trilogy. "Scary Movie 3" (again, this reviewer hasn't seen "SM3" either) was made, did great business, and a fourth flick was put into the pipeline. And so we now have "Scary Movie 4," also directed by David Zucker.
Will it do as much, more, or worse business than its predecessors? No idea. Does it deserve to be seen? Is it funny? If you liked at least one of the other three, you'll probably enjoy it.
The flick's story centers around Anna Farris' character Cindy Campbell, one of two people who have appeared in all four movies, trying to find a way to stop an alien invasion of Earth with the help of a scary Japanese ghost boy (Garrett Masuda), her friend Brenda Meeks (Regina Hall, the other four flick alumni), and eventually Bill Pullman (think about why he's in a movie about attacking aliens. You know it). At the same time, Craig Bierko is Tom Ryan, a shabby father in the range of Tom Cruise in Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds" trying to escape the alien hordes with his kids intact. That about sums up the plot. The rest of the movie is some form of direct parody or goofy physical comedy, the very thing that keeps the movie moving (and if you haven't seen any of the movies parodied, the farting and falling down and booger picking, while gross, at least will keep you giggling until the end). What we end up with, basically, is "War of the Worlds" meets "The Grudge" meets "M. Night Shyamalan's The Village" meets "Saw" meets "Brokeback Mountain" meets "Million Dollar Baby" meets "Skeleton Key," with some "Fahrenheit 9/11," "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and, this is speculation from this reviewer, perhaps it's just a misunderstanding, "Land of the Dead." It all more or less works, some segments more than others. It all depends on your tolerance for this kind of humor. It isn't the same type of parody fans of Zucker will be used to as it moves at a much faster pace than "Airplane!" or "The Naked Gun" (the difference being those two movies told a general kind of story and then placed the ridicule on top of it, whereas with "Scary Movie 4" it's parody first, story maybe, if there's time). The jokes keep coming and coming, not giving the audience much time to process all of them. And that's probably part of its success. Zucker definitely knows what he's doing.
The opening bit, with Shaquile O'Neal and Dr. Phil chained up in a dingy room in a send up of "Saw," is decent enough. The jokes work, even if you don't understand the, shall we say, certain basketball inadequacy of Shaq (and dropping stuff on Dr. Phil's head will always be funny. Always). The cameo by Charlie Sheen is cheap but funny (and painful if you sit and think about it). Bierko's Tom Cruise send up is only complete when he puts on the leather jacket. Anthony Anderson returns as super dreadlocked Mahalik, with buddy Marvin (DeRay Davis) in tow as doofuses on the "down low" (watch the twosome's final scene), and Leslie Nielson returns as President Harris. While his racist joke barrage and buffooning nudity at the UN is dang funny, his sitting in a classroom while listening to a story about a pet duck as he is told that the world is under attack is howling funny. Some of the best political satire in a long time (and the fact that it's Leslie Nielson makes it that much funnier). It would have been nice to see more of Captain Frank Drebin, Detective Lieutenant Police Squad, but he's getting older and, since the flick is for the hip and edgy young, probably isn't the draw he used to be (but without this kind of movie Nielson wouldn't have a career. He helped usher it in with Zucker. And we wouldn't have this kind of movie to watch). Anna Farris and Regina Hall do a good job of continuing the nonsense. Could there be a "Scary Movie 5" without them?
Cloris Leachman, Carmen Electra (blind woman on the toilet wearing lingerie), and Chris Elliott also make appearances. Leachman is funny as an old woman, Electra is, well, Carmen, and Chris Elliott really knows how to run head first into the side of a building. We also get the voice of James Earl Jones (always welcome, no matter what). Two jokes don't really land. The Michael Jackson guy from the third movie makes an appearance (it doesn't work. It just doesn't) and Michael Madsen's "War of the Worlds" Tim Robbins impersonation just falls flat. He isn't given enough to do (and just having him there as Michael Madsen doing Tim Robbins as Michael Madsen doesn't work. He was parodying himself in "Kill Bill vol. 2," so if it's not close to that level of absurdity, it shouldn't be tried. It probably would have been funnier to just have him stand there in the background glaring at the audience).
The "Oprah" sequence, the scene they showcase in the previews and TV commercials, is creepy. It's funny, yeah, but it probably would have played better in a different section. And why the heck didn't Oprah throw down on Tom Ryan? We all know Oprah doesn't take any hooha from anyone. Maybe she should get some revenge in a sequel.
So should there be a "Scary Movie 5"? As long as Hollywood keeps making movies people like, why not? Anything can be funny, and no movie, no matter how good, should be made fun of.
And we need more Leslie Nielson.
Team him up with Oprah.
That'd be funny.
The 411: “Scary Movie 4” continues the movie parody franchise with much success. It isn’t for the black turtlenecks out there, so if you don’t like fart jokes stay the heck away. This series could go on forever. That may be a good idea. The world needs movies like this sometimes.
