Director:
C.B. Harding
Starring:
Bill Engvall ………. Bill
Larry the Cable Guy ………. Larry
DJ Qualls ………. Everett
Danny Trejo ………. Carlos Santana
Keith David ………. Sgt. Kilgore
The Movie
“Redneck comedy” has been around for close to 15 years now thanks to Jeff Foxworthy. It’s also thanks to Jeff that we were introduced to his friends, Bill Engvall, Larry the Cable Guy, and Ron White. Their “Blue Collar Comedy Tour” is still one of the highest-grossing live comedy tours ever. While these guys may be funny on the stage, they really shouldn’t get in front of the camera and be in a TV show or a movie; it’s really not a good idea. If Larry the Cable Guy’s Health Inspector wasn’t proof enough, then I present to you the next example of why they should never do another movie again: Delta Farce.
The movie stars Larry the Cable Guy as Larry. Down on his luck after losing his job and his girlfriend on the same day, he decides to join his neighbor, Bill (Bill Engvall), and his combat-happy buddy, Everett (DJ Qualls), for a relaxing weekend of drinking and target practice. But when the three hapless guys are mistaken for Army Reservists by the hard-nosed Sergeant Kilgore (Keith David), they’re loaded onto an army plane headed for Fallujah, Iraq, and then mistakenly ejected in a Humvee somewhere over Mexico. Convinced they’re actually in the Middle East, the clueless wannabe soldiers save a rural village from a siege of bandits and become local heroes. But when Carlos Santana (Danny Trejo), a ruthless, karaoke-loving warlord, strikes back, Larry, Bill and Everett have to lay down their beers and take up their arms, and prove they just might be real soldiers after all.
If you just look at the plot of this movie, you might think that it’s similar to Stripes starring Bill Murray and John Candy or Three Amigos! starring Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and Martin Short. After watching this movie, though, you won’t make those comparisons again. The main problem with is that it’s not very funny. In fact, the jokes in this movie often border on being offensive to almost everyone. A combination of gay-panic, slapstick, and flatulence jokes are littered everywhere.
Whenever Larry the Cable Guy is the leading star in anything, you know you are in trouble. While Larry has the best “character” of any of the “Blue Collar Comedians,” he’s only got a catchphrase, and is not as funny as the rest of troupe. His repetitive “Get ‘R Done” becomes unfunny after he repeats it over and over again. It should be no surprise then, that Delta Farce seems to be on autopilot, constantly repeating jokes. Bill Engvall, on the other hand, is usually quite funny, but he also performs to the level of everyone around him. That’s why he is best with Jeff Foxworthy by his side. DJ Qualls has been a surprise “breakthrough” comedian in the last few years on past feature films. But just like Bill, he can only do so much with a script so bad.
The idea behind this movie seemed like a funny one. It’s a shame Larry the Cable Guy and Bill Engvall got their hands on that idea and completely cut it to pieces. This movie is lewd, crude, offensive, and laugh-out-not. While Delta Farce doesn’t take itself seriously, there is not one reason why you should take it seriously and actually think about watching it. Even fans of Larry the Cable Guy or Bill Engvall will find very few laughs here. Not even Jeff Foxworthy could stop this trainwreck. You really have to wonder if he really did get sick before he was supposed to appear in this movie, or if in fact he got sick after seeing what this movie would end up being. This movie is hazardous to your health.
The Video:
The video is given in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen color, which is enhanced for 16:9 TVs. The video is pretty good and comparable to other new release DVDs. Nothing too special, but it’s the best part of this DVD for sure.
The Audio:
The audio included is available in English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX sound or English Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround sound. There are subtitles available in English and Spanish as well. No real problems here either. Unfortunately, the music and dialogue come out loud and clear. Probably another rare time where you wished it didn’t.
The Extras:
Audio Commentary
The director, CB Harding, comments on the entire movie. This is the rare time where an audio commentary from a crew member is better than one from a cast member. We saw enough of the three “stars” of the movie in the actual movie. It’s nice to hear what the director was thinking while making this movie. He might need to get his head examined, but at least he tries to sell this movie to us.
“Hacienda Confidential” Featurette
This is five minutes long. Basically, various questions get thrown out to Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engvall, and DJ Qualls and these guys attempt to be funny while trying to answer them. This is actually funnier than most of the feature film. It’s also just short enough to not overstay its welcome.
“All the Way to…L.A.?” Featurette
This is eight minutes long. Everyone talks about how the entire movie was shot in Los Angeles, and the problems they encountered. For example, the traffic and the sweltering temps outside. Not very appealing, but it’s definitely better than the actual movie.
“The Queen of Mean Gets the Last Word” Featurette
This runs four minutes long and this is a talk with Lisa Lampanelli. She’s a comedian, who is funnier here than in the movie. Are you noticing a pattern?
“The Man Behind Carlos Santana” Featurette
This is a seven minute talk with Danny Trejo, who plays Carlos Santana. This is the best feature of them all. Danny Trejo is the most intriguing actor in this film, and he has had an interesting life.
Avoid at all costs. Don’t even think about renting this movie. It’s not worth your time or money. Not even a recommendation for Larry the Cable Guy or Bill Engvall fans. You have seen the jokes before and you have seen them be funnier than they are here. Delta Farce is really an insult to everyone.
