Scary Movie 3: Episode I - Lord of the Brooms Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)November 3rd, 2003
"Scary Movie 3" - Not Very Funny
by Homer Yen
(c) 2003
Humor, I suppose, is a very subjective matter. What's funny to others may not be funny to me. I can accept that. But when most of the audience appears to be turned off and unmoved by some of the antics in this film, it makes me wonder if the creators of "Scary Movie 3" have their fingers on the comedic pulse of pop culture. For much of the movie, it didn't seem that way as this spoof clunks along, sometimes showing signs of life and sometimes not.
The major setback is that the film lacked consistency in laughs and tone. At times, the comedy is slapstick. At times, the gags feel heavy-handed. At times, the jokes are juvenile and tasteless. At other times, it's just plain silly.
Actually, the silly elements provide for the most fun. You might be surprised how affable Jenny McCarthy and Pamela Anderson are as they kick off the film. They're delightfully airheaded as they gossip about boys, metaphysics, and a mysterious video. Taking the premise from a recent film called "The Ring", watching this video prompts you to receive a phone call. No, it's not a telemarketer, which can also be scary. It's a menacing voice that says that you will die in seven days. "Are we counting holidays as one of those days?" asks one oblivious character (Anna Farris) as she earnestly debates the ridiculous.
I would prefer more of this kind of loony and good-natured fun. This allows the audience to enjoy a movie at its most basic level. However, there's not enough of it. The film relies heavily on references to eerily themed movies, primarily spoofing "The Ring" and "Signs." Both these films did blockbuster business at the box office, but if you've neglected to see them, you're not really in on the joke. For example, I didn't see "The Ring." Thus, that entire component seemed hackneyed.
The other oddity is the swings in tone, which keeps our potential enjoyment off balance. For example, this is supposed to be a comedy. But, there are some moments of dread that might raise your heartbeat a tad. It may increase popcorn consumption, but it hinders our ability to settle in.
Meanwhile, there's also the tasteless humor that seems to grind this film to a halt. There are references to pedophile priests. There's an agonizing segment on strange alien behavior. And there's a completely inappropriate scene in which a couple of oafs desecrate a wake.
Again, it may be funny to you. But it wasn't to me. As long as enough scary movies are made, there will likely be another "Scary Movie" film. There's certainly enough material to draw upon to make a film like this funny. But in this installment, it just seems to increasingly struggle to maintain its sanity.
Grade: C
S: 1 out of 3
L: 1 out of 3
V: 1 out of 3
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