MacGruber
Not a single clever or inspired moment, just a constant pushing of gross-out envelopes.
A pastiche that would be funny in its original context as a sketch on Saturday Night Live, stretched out to a feature, MacGruber is pathetic enough to deserve a lambasting of its own.
If you find the name "Cunth" repeated ad nauseam amusing, then you'll love this spoof of the action genre, which picks on Eighties secret agent MacGyver, a character who refused to bear arms and could probably fashion a bomb out of twigs.
Mullet-haired MacGruber (Will Forte) is called out retirement to battle with his old enemy Cunth (a greasy and bloated Val Kilmer) to stop a terrorist attack. MacGruber isn't even represented as remotely useful, but as a complete failure, which even in a comedy, makes his medals of honour and legendary status ridiculous. SNL regular Forte is completely unappealing. Neither charismatic or funny, he buffoons and gurns his way through vulgarity, and the laughs gained aren't those hearty chuckles, but squirming nervous titters. MacGruber repeatedly asks his superiors to take advantage of him in the bluntest way possible, and there are two deliberately awful sex scenes that are painful to endure - which I believe is the point, but makes them no more enjoyable in a light-hearted comedy.
There are some genuinely funny scenes thanks to the thoroughly likeable Kristen Wiig, who stole my heart earlier this year in Whip It. As MacGruber's right-hand girl, she has a perfect understanding of the ludicrousness of her environment, knowing the audience. The same can't be said for Ryan Phillippe in the straight-man role, who has that haunted look of shame and regret in his eyes.
Unlike good-natured spoofs such as Airplane - which despite being risqué, you could watch with your mother - MacGruber is seriously uncomfortable viewing. I feel like I'm turning into Christopher Tookey sometimes, but it's constant yuckiness. Gags are repetitive, and when they're not spotted a mile off, are so absurd they're as silly as the stunt with the celery stick (you'll suffer it twice). Not a single clever or inspired moment to be found here, just a constant pushing of gross-out envelopes.
Subscribe to the SG News Feed
