Genre: Adventure/Comedy/Sci Fi
Director: Greg Mottola
Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Jane Lynch, Sigourney Weaver, Jeffrey Tambor, Blythe Danner, David Koechner, John Carroll Lynch, Jesse Plemons, Joe Lo Truglio, Mia Stallard
RunTime:1 hr 46 mins
Released By: UIP
Rating: NC-16 (Coarse Language And Violence)
Official Website: http://www.whatispaul.com/
Opening Day: 12 May 2011
Synopsis: Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) reunite for the comedy adventure Paul as two sci-fi geeks whose pilgrimage takes them to America's UFO heartland. While there, they accidentally meet an alien who brings them on an insane road trip that alters their universe forever.
For the past 60 years, an alien named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen) has been hanging out at a top-secret military base. For reasons unknown, the space-traveling smart ass decides to escape the compound and hop on the first vehicle out of town - a rented RV containing Earthlings Graeme Willy (Pegg) and Clive Collings (Frost).
Chased by federal agents and the fanatical father of a young woman that they accidentally kidnap, Graeme and Clive hatch a fumbling escape plan to return Paul to his mother ship. And as two nerds struggle to help, one little green man might just take his fellow outcasts from misfits to intergalactic heroes.
Movie
Review:
Yes, every geek out there in the universe wishes to be a hero
– just like the heroes in their favourite TV series,
comic books and Hollywood movies. A true geek knows every
single piece of trivia related to his idol. This probably
involves some psychological explanation, but a self respected
geek sees himself being the hero in day to day situations.
And somehow, he can always envision himself saving the day
every time he sees a movie like this one directed by Greg
Mottola.
It’s
times like this when we feel proud to be movie geeks.
The
science fiction comedy movie written by Simon Pegg and Nick
Frost, who are best known for their starring roles in Shaun
of the Dead (2004) and Hot Fuzz (2007). Here, the English
comedians play two British comic book geeks traveling across
the United States and come across an alien outside the famed
secret military installation Area 51. The duo help the alien
escape the compound on their rented RV. What ensues is a road
trip adventure involving menacing federal agents, a lovely
Christian girl, a overly controlling father and an old woman
who has suffered years of ridicule because of what she saw
60 years ago.
Sounds
like a hoot? It definitely is, thanks to the sharply humourous
script written by Pegg and Frost. Who better to portray the
two best friends than the people who created them on paper?
Science fiction fans will have a blast of a time identifying
the countless references to other science fiction films. Look
out (or should we say, listen out) for a cameo by Steven Spielberg,
the man who gave the world E.T. (1982). One would almost wish
he was on set at Comic Con convention with the stars, soaking
in the fandom that only those with a fine appreciation for
comics and related popular art can understand.
After
numerous collaborations, Pegg and Frost have a natural chemistry,
so much so that it is used as a gay joke in the movie. Their
co stars include Jason Bateman as a shady government agent
hot on the protagonists’ heels, Bill Hader and Joe Lo
Truglio as two inept FBI agents, Kristen Wiig as a creationist
Christian who is about to have her life changed forever, John
Carroll Lynch as a violent father, Blythe Danner as a shamed
old lady and the Alien busting Sigourney Weaver as, well,
an alien busting villain. This ensemble cast delivers performances
that will have viewers breaking out in laughter throughout
the movie’s 106 minute runtime.
The
production values aren’t too shoddy either – the
$40 million production boasts of impressive computer generated
graphics and special effects that are on par with a modest
Hollywood blockbuster. Perhaps the attraction of the production
is none other than Paul, the titular alien himself. Completely
created by CGI, this foul mouthed joker voiced by Seth Rogen
gets a large amount of screen time. Audiences would marvel
at the close up shots of this creature, and may just want
to reach out to touch its reptile like skin and crystal blue
eyes.
The
movie is clearly a love letter to science fiction movies,
and its brand of humour is witty and sometimes rather naughty.
It’s a movie all geeks and, dare we say it, earthlings
would enjoy.
Movie
Rating:
![](../../image/mx%20star.gif) ![](../../image/mx%20star.gif) ![](../../image/mx%20star.gif)
(This
one’s for the members of Sci Fi Movie Geeks United!)
Review by John Li
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