A Medieval Comedy That’s More “American Pie” Than “Lord of the Rings”
This film is more likely to appeal to fans of “American Pie” than those who enjoy tales of elves and high fantasy.
The story revolves around an aging king with two sons. While the younger son (Franco), clad in shining armor, is busy rescuing princesses (Deschanel), the lazy older son (McBride) spends his days smoking weed and harboring envy. However, when an evil sorcerer kidnaps the younger brother’s bride during their wedding, the two heirs must join forces to defeat the forces of darkness.
The filmmakers place a character typical of raunchy American comedies in the center of a medieval (or rather, loosely medieval – there are Venetian Renaissance costumes and even Mozart-esque wigs) setting. It seems they couldn’t decide whether they wanted knightly battles or crude humor. While the pompous orchestrations by composer Steve Jablonsky clearly parody “The Lord of the Rings” and “Pirates of the Caribbean,” the camera (instead of lowering the bar as well) suddenly soars over picturesque hills, just like in Jackson’s or Verbinski’s films. Almost half of the runtime is dedicated to pure action: horseback chases, fencing, and fairly interesting computer-generated monsters, like a hydra that’s tame in every sense of the word. Ultimately, only the final battle feels like genuinely ironic trash.
Confused Tone and Miscast Actors
It’s unclear why such beauty was needed for a riotous parody with toilet humor. If it weren’t for the occasional glimpses of male genitalia, you might even think you’re watching another generic fantasy film, loosely reinterpreted. At the same time, director David Gordon Green is more likely to please fans of below-the-belt humor: there will be a mandatory gay theme for this kind of movie, the exploration of breasts (a long scene with natives), a kind wizard-pervert who clearly escaped from “The Muppet Show,” and, the highlight of the program, a souvenir from a minotaur. But while the unflappable Danny McBride and the ever-smiling James Franco (apparently doomed to play cheerful simpletons after “127 Hours” (2010)) fit perfectly into such a landscape, Natalie Portman, sincerely trying to play something in the role of a revenge-obsessed Amazon, simply looks ridiculous.