Movie Review

Idiocracy

I read the script for Mike Judge's Idiocracy last year when it was called Uh, America; it wasn't bad (it had its moments) but it clearly needed a lot of work to get off the ground. What was apparent at the time was how unfilmable much of the feature seemed; at times it was an entertaining commentary on stupidity, but there was a very unusual rundown civilization that somehow needed to be constructed (it was a weird cross between The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, and Dumb & Dumber). The script was set in the future (when idiots have taken over America) and its tone was almost caveman-like, and I couldn't see how Mike Judge was going to translate this (as a low-key filmmaker).

The result onscreen is so bad that it made me wish Judge could be given a second chance. Idiocracy is a clever idea, but the cast and direction throw the entire thing off. This is one of the most poorly directed movies I've seen in quite a while, and the casting of Luke Wilson, Maya Rudolph, and Dax Shepard was atrocious. The actors ruin moments that had potential (on the page), and the story is even dumber than before (about on the level of Burn Hollywood Burn).

The movie is very moronic, which is obviously the point, but the material often reaches territory that is just too moronic to bear. The performances are also consistently over the top, and the actors force out their lines in the same goofball tone. Shepard's role was a potential scene stealer (with the right comedian), but his approach is horribly one-dimensional, and his performance is one of the worst I've seen, period. Luke Wilson was not a good choice for the lead either (even though the character didn't demand much), but this movie could've been decent with the right supporting cast.

Idiocracy is just a stupid, stupid, stupid movie on epic proportions, which is unfortunate because Mike Judge could've turned this into another Beavis & Butthead (Do America). There was potential for a really funny movie in here, but it was also something that could've easily turned into a disaster. On paper the feature felt cheaply constructed, incomplete, and the material was very off-kilter and seemed almost impossible to produce; however, here and there, Judge's sense of humor really showed through. The finished product is indeed an absolute mess, but a disaster that deserves a second attempt.

Lee's Grade: D+
Ranked #145 of 177 between The Benchwarmers (#144) and Wassup Rockers (#146) for 2006 movies.

A	0.4%
B	30.0%
C	61.7%
D	8.0%
F	0.0%