There is something about throwing John Travolta, Tim Allen, and Martin Lawrence together in a comedy that makes me laugh; not for the comic potential, but because of the actors' track record as of lately. The actors have fallen off their blockbuster cash cows and have become synonymous with "box office poison". Just look at Black Knight (Lawrence), Lucky Numbers (Travolta), and Zoom (Allen). Therefore, when I found out these three were headlining a road comedy titled Wild Hogs with William H. Macy in tow, I assumed that Travolta, Allen, and Lawrence were the subjects of an intervention organized by the heads at Touchstone Pictures. I also asked the question I never thought I would ask, "What was William H. Macy thinking?"
Doug (Allen) is a mild-mannered dentist who fears aging and who can't seem to convince his son that he is cool. Woody (Travolta) is a once-successful businessman about to lose everything. Bobby (Lawrence) is a plumber who is the victim of his breadwinner wife's iron fist. Finally, Dudley (Macy) is a computer programmer who can't seem to talk to women. All four of these men can't get to the root of their worries and frustrations. The solution? Road trip!
After spending countless nights riding their motorcycles together in the suburbs, the gang decides to hit the open road with no maps or cell phones. It all seems like a great idea, but we the audience know that these men are clueless urban-dwellers with no clue about survival. This of course means that wacky high jinks will ensue!
Where do I begin? William H. Macy keeps crashing his motorcycle into things, John Travolta hits a bird, and Martin Lawrence lets loose his usual reaction comments such as, "Daaaaamn!" It is one slapstick gag on top of another. Somewhere in the middle of the zaniness, the boys piss of a Del Fuego biker gang led by Ray Liotta.
I realize my synopsis for Wild Hogs makes the comedy sound like one of the biggest train wrecks of the year. Let me correct this by saying that the film is not terrible; it is simply OK. The fact of the matter is, this movie is evened out by its performances. While I can hardly believe it myself, the four male leads are likeable in their own way. Tim Allen is respectable simply for not making manly Home Improvement noises, while Macy plays his lovable dork to perfection, even though he is typecast. Martin Lawrence's predictable jabs are even effective at times. If anyone gets a bit tiresome here it is John Travolta. I loved the man in Pulp Fiction, but someone needs to control his tendency to overact when conveying anger, sadness, or excitement.
While the performances are relatively good-natured, it is the construction of the comedy that fails here. How many times must we be exposed to William H. Macy's stuntman hitting watermelon carts, real estate signs, etc.? I do realize this is a matter of personal taste, and I will note that the audience hooted and hollered anytime a character fell down or crashed into something, but how long until filmmakers realize this form of slapstick comedy has been driven into the ground? It worked when Buster Keaton first perfected it decades ago, but enough is enough. I could almost hear the filmmakers laughing and clapping on the set like 2-year-olds admiring their staged collisions as if they discovered comic gold.
Wild Hogs is a somewhat likeable comedy that I am sure has its audience. It did, after all, make $40 million over the weekend. However, I do not think it is worth the admission, especially considering the prices today. This film does not hold back on trite poop jokes and bland slapstick. However, it does hold back on clever writing. If you expect a little more effort in your comedy, then I highly suggest seeing Wild Hogs for free in a few months when your friend rents it on DVD.
My advice: See Zodiac
Questions? Comments? Just want to talk movies? Drop me a line at dodd@movieweb.com
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