Hot Rod

All I can say is that I’m so disappointed. Hot Rod gets a case of the “good trailer, bad movie” blues. Honestly, all the mildly funny stuff is in the preview. Beyond a few ridiculous lines/stunts that let out a laugh or two, most the time you’re watching going “What the…?” I mean, Will Arnett wasn’t even funny in this – and that’s saying something. Andy Samberg is charismatic enough to keep the movie going, but barely. He, with costar Jorma Taccone and director Akiva Schaffer, are the creators behind many Saturday Night Live Digital Shorts, such as the popular Lazy Sunday and D*** in a Box, as well as their own online videos under their team name, The Lonely Island. So they’re used to creating great bits of sketch comedy, which is made to last only a few minutes – not for the duration of a feature film. This story could have worked much better if it was just a short video online. Their skills at making random, absurd videos can constantly be felt throughout the film, but unfortunately for the moviegoer it’s not a scheme that works well. The storyline and random off-the-wall bits feel awkward, and you feel awkward watching it. Samberg plays Rod Kimble, a wannabe stuntman, who plans to earn money for a heart transplant for his dying stepfather – just so he can keep him alive in order to kick his ass, thus proving himself a man. Hmm. I’m not sure how I feel about that. Is that meant to be funny, cruel, or just plain dumb? Well, I can definitely say that the movie is dumb, that it cruelly wastes your time (when you could have seen The Bourne Ultimatum again), and that it’s funny – funny because you walk out laughing at yourself just to make you feel better about spending ten bucks on it.

Directed by Akiva Schaffer
Runtime: 88 minutes