This movie sat on the shelf for 3 years, and having seen it tonight, I can clearly see why.
I've been a fan of The Onion in print for several years, and having seen the very promising trailer for this movie, expected an enjoyable, sharp movie. Instead, The Onion movie is an endless stream of p**s-poor Monty Python wannabe sketches where the aim is to be as offensive, unoriginal, obvious and mean-spirited as possible.
While The Onion is without a doubt, edgy and challenging in its magazine form, it is rarely, if ever out-and-out offensive. If re-enacting gun crimes and rape is your idea of humor, I suggest you track down a victim of either and see if they enjoy sharing the 'laughs'. Two thirds of the way through, my girlfriend literally asked that I shut off this movie in tears. I gladly obliged.
This is smug, insensitive college-boy humor at its worst, and whats more, it is woefully unoriginal and outdated. For instance, in one sketch Al Queda style terrorists repeatedly blow themselves up for comic effect. Even if this movie had hit the scene in 2005, that 'idea' had already been done to death. Another sketch lampoons Britney Spears. Circa 'Baby One More Time'. Great job guys, only about a decade out of date there.
Other 'cutting edge' material (much of which I noticed was recycled from the in-print edition') includes an unbearably smug self-referential movie critique, and predictable arch-racist jokes, delivered with a wink and a nudge that only someone who hasn't hit a comedy club in the last decade would be remotely amused by.
More punchlines fall flat here than actually connect. An arch Asian stereotype joke actually ends with "Me no rikey". Pathetic.
Oddly enough, The Onion now has a free video pod-cast that follows much the same format as this movie, that actually manages to be funny without being constantly offensive, predictable and profane. I suggest fans check that out instead and leave 'The Onion Movie' on the shelf where it rightfully remained for 3 blissful years.
I wish I hadn't watched this. Still, I can hear the smug college-boys lining up to tell me I'm over-sensitive for not seeing the funny side of brutal rape.
The punchline of the rape gag, by the way, is that the girl re-enacting the attack flinches, but 'shouldn't be able to move because the perpetrator shattered her pelvis with a baseball bat'.
If thats your idea of humor, you'll love this movie. If on the other hand, you have an ounce of sensitivity, avoid at all costs.
I've been a fan of The Onion in print for several years, and having seen the very promising trailer for this movie, expected an enjoyable, sharp movie. Instead, The Onion movie is an endless stream of p**s-poor Monty Python wannabe sketches where the aim is to be as offensive, unoriginal, obvious and mean-spirited as possible.
While The Onion is without a doubt, edgy and challenging in its magazine form, it is rarely, if ever out-and-out offensive. If re-enacting gun crimes and rape is your idea of humor, I suggest you track down a victim of either and see if they enjoy sharing the 'laughs'. Two thirds of the way through, my girlfriend literally asked that I shut off this movie in tears. I gladly obliged.
This is smug, insensitive college-boy humor at its worst, and whats more, it is woefully unoriginal and outdated. For instance, in one sketch Al Queda style terrorists repeatedly blow themselves up for comic effect. Even if this movie had hit the scene in 2005, that 'idea' had already been done to death. Another sketch lampoons Britney Spears. Circa 'Baby One More Time'. Great job guys, only about a decade out of date there.
Other 'cutting edge' material (much of which I noticed was recycled from the in-print edition') includes an unbearably smug self-referential movie critique, and predictable arch-racist jokes, delivered with a wink and a nudge that only someone who hasn't hit a comedy club in the last decade would be remotely amused by.
More punchlines fall flat here than actually connect. An arch Asian stereotype joke actually ends with "Me no rikey". Pathetic.
Oddly enough, The Onion now has a free video pod-cast that follows much the same format as this movie, that actually manages to be funny without being constantly offensive, predictable and profane. I suggest fans check that out instead and leave 'The Onion Movie' on the shelf where it rightfully remained for 3 blissful years.
I wish I hadn't watched this. Still, I can hear the smug college-boys lining up to tell me I'm over-sensitive for not seeing the funny side of brutal rape.
The punchline of the rape gag, by the way, is that the girl re-enacting the attack flinches, but 'shouldn't be able to move because the perpetrator shattered her pelvis with a baseball bat'.
If thats your idea of humor, you'll love this movie. If on the other hand, you have an ounce of sensitivity, avoid at all costs.