Criticism is not a bad thing, but social idea should always open to debate and that's what 'Year One' is supposed to be doing. Just because the film deals with a couple of morons meeting crazed religious figure don't get a free pass on that. Yes, people get offended by movies mocking their religion, but the film fails to be a great religious satire comedy. It fails to be anything, but mediocre due to horrible acting, unfunny crude and dark humor. Zed (Jack Black) and Oh (Michael Cera) are two members of a hunter/gatherer society. Both are getting mistreated and hatred as both seek a way out. Zed ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, but catch by the shaman (Bill Hader) who banished him from the tribe. Oh decides to go with Zed in exile out of their Eden like place. Along the way, they encounter Cain and Abel (David Cross and Paul Rudd). Cain kills Abel and informs Zed and Oh that they must escape with him or else be accused of killing Abel as well. They find out that the girls that they had crush on, Maya (June Diane Raphael) and Eema (Juno Temple) have been captured by Sodomites and being sold into slavery. Cain ends up betraying Zed and Oh and sold them as slaves. Zed and Oh escape and hide in the desert, and find Abraham (Hank Azaria) about to kill his son Isaac (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). Zed stops them, claiming that the Lord sent him to do so. Abraham takes them to his Hebrew village and tells them about the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Zed and Oh head off for Sodom after Abraham decides to circumcise them. They arrive in Sodom, where they hide as guards noticing princess Inanna (Olivia Wilde) looking for chance and get rid of the high priest (Oliver Platt). The two are on the quest to save the princess, the town and their girls. This movie had the potential to be a good concept. Two nobody guys witness bible events from the background could be potential to be funny, but the writing became lazy by putting a bunch of potty jokes and other childish humor. Critics just can't stand to give praise to films with gross out humor because they feel it is beneath them. Yes, it does have some disgusting jokes, but they are few, the bulk of the film is silly characters doing silly things. It is not going to win any awards, but it is simple fun. Harold Ramis is much smarter than this. It's not the best from him, but the film has amazing sets, and supporting cast, but the main characters felt like Jack Black and Michael Cera acting as themselves in a periodic piece. Cera felt like as like watching a dead guy shuffle around and say lines. Jack Black acts stupid. The characters regardless of the stupid comedy had real chemistry. Rental it but remember this wasn't Life of Brian quality. It had a lot of misses mixed in to a smattering of funny.
Review of Year One
