Reviewed By: Emanuel Caros

Classic MacGruber.   Classic Saturday Night Live.  When eternal SNL producer Lorne Michaels commissioned Jorma Taccone (1/3 of The Lonely Island) to write a full-length film based on the (in)famous sketch, most people thought there was no way an entire movie could be based on the minute-or-less late-night skit.  Despite early reports that the script was hysterical, those early haters were pretty much right.  MacGruber has no plot and no character development, yet none of that matters thanks to the  polarizing brand of humor SNL has put out over the past few years.  Writer/Director Taccone, also a writer for SNL (specifically all the digital shorts) stuffs this satirical movie FULL of dumb, yet hilarious, gags that should crack a smile on the faces of even the most mature viewers.

MacGruber (Will Forte: SNL, The Brothers Solomon) is a former military bad-ass who is brought back for one more mission by the possibility of avenging the death of his wife.  After assembling, and subsequently exploding, his dream team of world-renowned killers, MacGruber is forced to work with a young military hotshot, played by Ryan Phillippe, and his late wife's best friend, played by the amazing Kristen Wiig.  When Dieter Von Cunth (Val Kilmer, yes!) steals a nuclear warhead, the MacGruber team must prevent the missile's launch and save the day.

This movie is pure entertainment, and definitely not to be taken too seriously.  While Kevin Smith's Cop Out was too childish and unintelligent, MacGruber has a  very similar sense of humor but takes a different approach: a self-depreciating awareness that, clearly, this is a poop-joke sort of comedy.  And where others fail at this sort of funny, Forte and Wiig dominate.  Like the TV sketch, this film will be very polarizing: audiences will either think it's really dumb, or really funny.  The storyline is worthless, Phillippe's performance is flat, and plenty of jokes flop.  But regardless of one's opinion, if the 5-year old in you doesn't crack up at the celery scene, then you probably had a rough childhood. 

The movie is vulgar, unnecessary, ridiculous, out of control, and absolutely hilarious.  If you're a fan of the current Saturday Night Live line-up then you'll appreciate MacGruber, and if not, Shrek 4 will probably be more up your alley.

6.5/10