Akiva Schaffer
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Not only does this film give him a chance to flex his comedic muscles – he’s essentially playing a spoof of his Taken-adjacent roles…
…watching him channel his particular brand of “Taken”-era grimness into a rubber-chicken universe is a rare kind of comedy alchemy…
Neeson’s Frank is kinda like his Taken character, but on steroids.
…his former tough guy screen persona from the Taken movies (and others) gives the role an extra edge of parody…
Playing off Neeson’s action roles in films like Taken (2008), Frank Jr. uses excessive force and a disregard for the law to get results, which jeopardizes Police Squad and puts him in the crosshairs of scheming tech billionaire Richard Cane (Danny Huston).
…since 2008’s TAKEN.
…the opening bank robbery sequence is directly inspired by The Dark Knight.
Mission: Impossible set pieces filtered through The Dark Knight‘s operatic sensibilities…
…has Frank foiling a gritty, Dark Knight–style bank robbery by posing as a tiny little schoolgirl.
…it opens on a bank heist reminiscent of Heat by way of The Dark Knight…
…what was once a straight TV cop-show spoof now also nods to the likes of Mission: Impossible and The Dark Knight.
Lorne Balfe’s score clearly references Hans Zimmer’s music from “The Dark Knight.”
…a janky, ill-thought-out plan for world domination derived from watching Matthew Vaughan’s Kingsman: The Secret Service on repeat for a month straight…
Having argued that it is closer to a genre parody it'd be remiss to ignore how closely parts of its structure are to Kingsman: The Secret Service which was itself a genre-aware film with parodic elements.
Anyone who’s seen Kingsman: The Secret Service will recognise elements of the villain’s nefarious plan right away – the parallels are numerous to the point of concern.
…hasn’t Samuel L. Jackson already tried this in ‘Kingsman’?
You might have already recognized the villain’s plot from Kingsman: The Secret Service.
…instead spoofing contemporary action tropes and films like Kingsman and Mission: Impossible with clever, unexpected twists…
…a riotously funny, sharply staged, and joyously absurd return to the Police Squad universe…
The Naked Gun is a parody of police procedurals, which predate the 1988 original…
…there has been a TV series too…
…clearing a path for an entirely new generation to get hooked on the antics of Frank Drebin and the Police Squad…
…the creative team of Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and David Zucker, who built the movie series after their cancelled Police Squad! TV show…
…a sergeant at Police Squad just like his old man…
The same explanation, however, doesn't hold true for the rest of the lameness on display, from the plethora of unimaginative pratfalls and wasted opportunities to, finally, the incessant '80s nostalgia (references to Footloose and The Karate Kid, music from the band Europe) that Samberg and his buddies don't seem to realize became played out sometime shortly after 1998's The Wedding Singer.
A lot of the comedy in "Hot Rod" will be meaningless, campy fun for teen viewers but in-jokes for Xers, who'll test their powers of recall and cringe with recognition when they hear songs and watch scene reenactments from "The Karate Kid," "Flashdance" and "Footloose," the most notable being an outrageously drawn-out sequence that has Kimble back-lighted and dancing wildly in a forest, then pommel horsing on a log, then falling -- endlessly -- down a wooded slope.
The incredibly quirky supporting cast - which, in addition to McShane, boasts appearances by Isla Fisher, Sissy Spacek, and Will Arnett - is as effective as it is impressive, while director Akiva Schaffer's passion for '80s movies such as Footloose and The Karate Kid adds a layer of homage that proves irresistible.
Ghostbusters (1984)
Directed by Ivan Reitman
influenced The Watch (2012), The Naked Gun (2025)
Plot Themes
Hollywood has tried — from Ghostbusters to Halloween to Scream — with wildly mixed results.
Sadly, "The Watch" never quite matches up with the comedic perfection of "Ghostbusters" in spite of clearly modeling itself after the Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd classic.
Such is the crippling identity problem of The Watch, a movie that desperately wants to be Ghostbusters -- where funny actors confront supernatural happenings -- but doesn’t understand what made Ivan Reitman’s classic tick.
There are times during "The Watch"?solitary moments, but moments just the same?when the film feels as if it's edging reverently into blissful sci-fi/comedy territory previously occupied by 1984's one-two punch of "Ghostbusters" and "Gremlins."
The script, by Jared Stern and frequent writing partners Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, follows the Ghostbusters template closely, but they don't have anyone of Bill Murray's caliber to punch up the jokes.
Director Ivan Reitman tried to repeat the trick twice, with Ghostbusters 2 and Evolution , only to fall flat both times, and among other imitators, only Men In Black has struck a similarly effective balance.
To bridge the gaps between these more original, tangential moments (or to provide more of them), the filmmakers take a lot of inspiration from other films, especially the time-warped, small-town world of Napoleon Dynamite .
"Napoleon Dynamite" fans are sure to like Rod Kimble, the moronic and talentless Evel Knievel-wannabe played by "Saturday Night Live" regular Andy Samberg.
The new generations of comedy talent have been coming thick and fast from the US, with the rise (or consolidation, in the case of the older guys) of such talents as Napoleon Dynamite creators Jared and Jerusha Hess, Knocked Up-Superbad-Drillbit Taylor collaborators Judd Apatow and Seth Rogan, and of course Adam McKay and Will Ferrell (co-creators of Ron Burgundy and Ricky Bobby), among others.
A short time ago Napoleon Dynamite was all the rage with the cool kids.
Rod Kimble (Andy Samberg, who dampens his boyish charisma under Rod's strutting vanity) could be his geek-boy disciple for the "Napoleon Dynamite" generation.
"Hot Rod" plays like "Napoleon Dynamite" as interpreted by "SNL," meaning it's not very original, never captures "Dynamite's" dry humor, and tries too hard.
The original "Ghostbusters" and "Men in Black" walked this line beautifully and were alternately hilarious and thrilling films.
It might have been possible to pass off The Watch as a rip-off of Men in Black if two forgettable sequels hadn't claimed that distinction.
All of it seems predictable, because it's all been done before and better whether it's in any of the "Men in Black" movies or "Attack the Block" or "Hot Fuzz," leaving one scratching their head how so many genuinely funny people couldn't figure out how to make this one work.
Real-life horrors aside, “The Watch” feels like what might have happened if Hill, instead of crafting the much-funnier “21 Jump Street” (which likewise incorporated N.W.A's “Straight Outta Compton”) had transposed a story of wannabe cops onto “Men in Black.”
…concept had payoff in Men in Black; here, it's so ridiculously easy to figure out who the aliens are that there's no inherent comedy in it.
Naturally, not every joke lands. Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane is among the film’s producers, and when his branch of humour seeps into the fabric – namely, overexcessiveness and cutaway gags – the film nosedives from frequent chuckles to deafening silence.
…a little “Family Guy” here…
Comedian Seth MacFarlane served as producer on this film (having been attached to the script and the project for years prior to production), and I get a similar feeling of fatigue at times with his other works, most notably when Family Guy lingers on something entirely too long.
…producer Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy, Ted)…
He even had some Family Guy writers take a stab at the script early on…
…producer Seth MacFarlane (Ted, Family Guy)…
But the bizarre peripheral characters—including a personal chef (Justin Timberlake) who lives to watch Conner eat and a roadie (Bill Hader, completely in his element) obsessed with Flatliners, “the Joel Schumacher film shot by Jan De Bont”—never really mask Popstar’s generic plot, which finds Conner’s DJ and former Style Boyz bandmate, Owen (Taccone), trying to reunite him with Lawrence (Schaffer), the estranged third Style Boy, like a child trying to get his divorced parents back together.
The gags here vary from big set pieces to satisfying runners to tiny, absurd touches; this viewer most appreciated the latter, like when Bill Hader’s roadie explains how he spends his free time “flatlining,” inspired by the movie Flatliners, and there’s just something about the way he off-handedly continues, “directed by Joel Schumacher, shot by Jan De Bont” that is totally irresistible.
Their influence is most clearly felt in the movie's obsession with all things ’80s—vintage posters from that decade can be glimpsed on the wall of Rod's bedroom and viewers are treated to a number of power-balled-fueled training montages, most notably a woodland workout that's a direct nod to 1986's gymnast-with-a-dream epic American Anthem.
Unlike recent efforts like Happy Gilmore 2 or Don’t Look Up…
Similar to the recent Happy Gilmore 2, much of the cast appears to be Cameo City; I recognized maybe a third of them.
…just a few days after sitting through “Happy Gilmore 2” in silence on the couch at home…
Released in the same week as Happy Gilmore 2 on Netflix, it’s remarkable that this theatrical comedy wasn’t condemned to the same straight-to-streaming, flavor-of-the-week fate.
What made the original Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker films like Airplane! and The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! so effective was their commitment to parody, visual gags, and fourth-wall-breaking absurdity.
…those that don’t enjoy the comedy stylings of the original The Naked Gun trilogy or Airplane!
Just like there’s only one Airplane!, one Caddyshack, one Animal House.
As a student of the original series (plus Airplane! and Top Secret)…
…relatively fresh off the success of Airplane!
It is the sort of ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ approach that typified the Zucker-Abrams-Zucker comedies of the 1980s including Airplane!, Top Secret, and – indeed – the original Naked Gun of 1988.
But as proven by every sweaty genre parody that popped up in Scary Movie’s wake, it takes genuine wit, talent, and inspiration to make a good movie out of something this dumb.
…growing up watching the original Naked Gun trilogy, Airplane and even Scary Movie on a loop…
The genre’s popularity waned in the 2010s following a glut of Scary Movie (2000) sequels…
The Austin Powers series petered out over two decades ago, and even the horrendous Scary Movies came to a merciful end.
Coyote vs. Acme (2026)
Directed by Dave Green
influenced by Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022)
Visuals
Given that this is the same style Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers utilized four years back, it’s not surprising Coyote vs. Acme went down this road.
DNEG’s animation is impressive, despite my typical ambivalence toward the “3D character model wearing a 2D coat” technique (as seen in Tom and Jerry or Chip ‘n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers).
Much like the fantastic Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers from 2022, Coyote vs. Acme makes the animated and live-action interaction seamless.
Much like conservatives whined about the Lex Luthor of this summer’s other wonderfully earnest and heartfelt throwback, Superman, being oligarch-bullying…
Taking clear satirical jabs at Musk, a popular punching bag this summer, if one factors in Superman and to a lesser extent Bad Guys 2…
…reasons that make him a precursor to the rogues gallery of tech-bro villains that have lately popped up in everything from Superman to The Naked Gun…
The same explanation, however, doesn't hold true for the rest of the lameness on display, from the plethora of unimaginative pratfalls and wasted opportunities to, finally, the incessant '80s nostalgia (references to Footloose and The Karate Kid, music from the band Europe) that Samberg and his buddies don't seem to realize became played out sometime shortly after 1998's The Wedding Singer.
The Pink Panther comparisons/inspiration.
…or use more past comedic IP franchises like The Pink Panther to make a quick buck…
Either way, this hilariously meta reboot — excuse me, comeback — is everything the recent Space Jam sequel desperately attempted but failed to be.
The Hangover (2009)
Directed by Todd Phillips
influenced The Watch (2012), The Naked Gun (2025)
Plot Themes
…big studio comedies like Anchorman, The Hangover or Austin Powers ruled the box office…
What's onscreen feels as half-assed and juvenile as it was probably always envisioned to be, suggesting an umpteenth retelling of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" by way of "The Hangover," or perhaps a far less inspired version of "Attack the Block" transplanted to small-town Ohio.
The team achieves little more than sitting in a car sipping beer before their Hardy Boys meets The Hangover (2009) investigations are shaken up by extraterrestrial encounters and — naturally — the discovery of a bowling ball that fires massive blue laser beams.
It’s The Hangover meets Attack the Block .
Call it The Hangover hangover, which decrees that nothing can be too gross... unless it results in an NC-17.