Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that plenty of teens will want to see this mindless spoof, even though (or perhaps because) it's riddled with gross-out humor fueled by swearing, bodily functions, offensive jokes, and cartoonish violence. Pop culture references -- and outright product placements -- are peppered throughout, too. We've seen it all before in films like Date Movie and Epic Movie, but it's possibly even less funny here.
Families can talk about why Hollywood keeps churning out this type of movie. What makes them appealing to certain viewers? What part of the humor works (or doesn't)? Do you think anyone will find any of it funny decades from now, when half of the references will have been forgotten? Does any of it go too far? Are there better examples of spoofs?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: S. Jhoanna Robledo
From the directing team behind Date Movie and Epic Movie comes yet another spoof, this time of the "swords and sandals" genre. Using the stylized, over-the-top 300 as its "inspiration," this spastic, goofy comedy is set in Grecian times. The not-so-mighty King Leonidas (Sean Maguire) faces the threat of an attack from Xerxes (Ken Davitian) and his Persian army. His captain (Kevin Sorbo, spoofing himself) manages to round up a ragtag army who'll gladly step into a "battlefield" that requires them to "step up," hurl insults, and break dance, all in the name of Sparta. Good thing they're not required to do much else, since they don't appear to be too handy with the weapons.
Spoof movies have their place in the pantheon of filmmaking. The point of parodies is to poke fun at a specific genre. The best ones -- Airplane!, History of the World, Part I -- are downright genius. MEET THE SPARTANS barely registers an IQ. (Though the silly "battle" scenes do elicit a chuckle or two, as well as the sight of warriors skipping to battle.)
It depends too much on one crass joke after another and the requisite pratfalls and vomit and fart scenes. And it doesn't even do those well. The celebrity "look-alikes" look nothing like the boldface names they're parodying, and they're not even the least bit comical. (If you can't successfully mine Britney and Paris' hi-jinks for any humor, you're hurting.) Even the TV and movie shout-outs seem tired (Ugly Betty? Heroes? Great shows, to be sure, but aren't they so 2006? And what's with the Bond reference?).
Try these classic spoofs instead: Airplane!, Young Frankenstein, and History of the World, Part I.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentAmple cleavage and booty shots; lots of scenes with scantily clad men and women; plenty of sexual innuendoes, many of which are somewhat homophobic (a man discusses warfare in terms of "taking it from the behind," for example); a woman licks her lips while staring at men; she also gyrates in front of older men who throw money at her; humans and animals (sometimes both) are shown in sexual positions. |
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ViolencePlenty of cartoonish scenes that are violent nonetheless: A dog bites a man's testicles; a parent and child head-butt each other (in the name of teaching the boy how to be a warrior); a spear lances through a soldier while another charges and hits a rock face, plucking his eyes out; guns are shot, swords are drawn, and a man cracks his neck performing a break-dance move; blood oozes out of a man's face. |
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LanguageWomen are referred to as "hos" and "sluts," and there's the usual parade of "s--t," "damn," "a--hole," "b-tch" and more, as well as one bleeped "f--k." |
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Social BehaviorThe film delights in making fun of everything by playing up stereotypes or relying on crude language. A woman clearly sleeps around. |
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CommercialismAt times the film feels like an endless stream of commercials for products like Coke, Nintendo Wii, Dentyne Ice, Gatorade, and more. One whole sequence plays out like a video game, Grand Theft Auto style. Mentions of TV shows (Ugly Betty, Heroes), films (James Bond), and video games. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoA shot of Botox kills a man. Another man drinks a beverage thinking it's hard liquor -- but it's actually pee. |
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