Movie Review: Paul

Finally I have a new post up!  Thanks again everyone for visiting the site daily even though I haven't been able to keep it as updated as I would like!  Now on to my newest movie review: Paul.  First and foremost I gotta say that Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are amazing together and should do many more films with one another in the future. I loved Shaun of the Dead and Hott Fuzz kicked ass.  The only ingredient that was missing in this film was the director Edgar Wright.  Not to fear!  Greg Motolla takes the directorial lead.  Greg also directed a small film known as Superbad!  So, the big question is Paul any good?  Does the all star cast and many cameos help this film or does it fall on it's face.  Early box office predictions placed this film at #5 with about 13.2 million made in the states.


As I said earlier.  This film stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.  Simon Pegg is probably the more recognizable of the two to American audiences.  Pegg has been in such films as Star Trek and Mission Impossible.  Nick Frost plays the goofy sidekick of sorts.  I can't help but think of David Spade and Chris Farley when seeing these 2 guys work together.  It is true chemistry and something that you can't make up.  Watching these 2 on the screen whether the movie is good, bad or indifferent is truly fun!  Kristen Wiig also stars as a love interest for Pegg and the daughter of a crazy Christian Bible thumper.  Wiig is an amazing comedian.  She has numerous funny scenes and is very much a plus for this film.  Seth Rogen does the voice of the alien Paul.  He truly gives life to the character and did a great job in my opinion.  I think Seth does a great job as a voice actor in the many different movies he has been in.  Jason Bateman is the baddy in this film. He is essentially a M.I.B. (man in black secret agent) that is always on the tail of our main characters.  Bill Hader and Jo Lo Truglio play 2 bumbling agents that help Bateman but end up foiling most of his plans.  Hader and Truglio are another great addition and play the parts well. There are also many cameos in this film from actors Jeffrey Tambor, Jane Lynch, David Koechner, Blythe Danner, Steven Spielberg and the queen alien herself Sigourney Weaver. When you think about it.  This is really a pretty stacked cast!  How could this movie not go wrong?

Here is the story.  This is the downfall of the movie.  In 1947 a UFO crash lands on a farm in the mid-west.  The aircraft actually kills a little girls golden retriever named Paul.  Hence the name of the alien that crashes.  Fast forward to present day where we meet Graeme (Pegg) and Clive (Frost).  2 British nerds that are attending the San Diego Comic Convention.  After the convention they decide to go on a road trip to various sites in the southern USA that have to do with UFO's.  It is in this trip they come across Paul, the alien, who has somehow escaped from Area 51.  Paul is the inspiration for all alien propaganda that has been released to the American public over the years.  He is very intelligent and a wise ass.  He smokes weed, can turn invisible and likes to flash people when he can.  The group eventually picks up Ruth (Wiig) and is being relentlessy pursued by agents Zoil (Bateman), Haggard (Hader) and O'Rielly (Truglio).  Through out this crazy and zany adventure Paul is able to somehow "phone home" to the mother ship for a quick pick me up from earth.  Will he make it home?  Do they have weed on the planet he originally came from?  Are Simon Pegg and Nick Frost gay lovers in this film?

I loved the acting in this film.  Pegg and Frost pretty much played themselves.  I think in reality they are not far from who they are in this film.  That feels genuine and comes out in this movie a lot. Great, Great, Great!!  In fact all of the actors in this film were awesome!  I'm not a big Blythe Danner fan but she did fine as the old version of the little girl that lost her dog originally.  Jo Lo Truglio stole the film as the stupid agent obsessed with alien balls.  It's an inside joke and you will have to watch the movie to get it.  I just felt the film lost it in the story.  The story wasn't all too original and felt like it was thrown together all too fast.  For American audiences only seeing Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz it is a bit of a let down.  Edgar Wright has a certain way of making films and this film is very different from that.  Is that a bad thing?  No, not at all.  These are 2 totally different directors.  It should be that way.  Back to the story.  It just felt lagging about 3/4 of the way through and many different points weren't explained to the audience the way it could have been. As far as the computer graphics go they were great!  Paul didn't look all computery and weird. They did a great job on him.  I wasn't going to say this and hate to admit it.  I fell asleep and started snoring.  It couldn't keep me reeled in like Battle: Los Angeles did the week before.

Is this a good movie?  Yes!  I liked it.  I really did.  Their are a ton of great one liners that sci-fi nerds will get a kick out of.  I was kinda surprised that their were no references to Shaun or Hot Fuzz at all.  Would I recommend people to go watch this in the theater?  Probably not.  Perhaps a cheap early showing or on the day where you can get $1.00 popcorn and soda.  When the night was finished and I was $40.00 in the hole it didn't really seem worth it.  I love to watch Pegg and Frost.  I really do.  I'm not bashing them at all.  In fact, I will probably buy this movie when it comes out and put in the library with all the others.