Available at Amazon.com
20th Century Fox presents Kickin’ It Old Skool. Written by Trace Slobotkin and Josh Siegal & Dylan Morgan. 107 minutes. Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content and language.
Directed By:
Harvey Glazer
Cast:
Jamie Kennedy. . Justin Schumacher
Maria Menounos. Jennifer Stone
Miguel A. Núñez Jr.. Darnell Jackson
Michael Rosenbaum. Kip Unger
Christopher McDonald. Marty Schumacher
Debra Jo Rupp. Sylvia Schumacher
Alan Ruck. Dr. Fry
Vivica A. Fox. Roxanne Jackson
David Hasselhoff. Himself
Emmanuel Lewis. Himself
The Film:
Everyone remembers Jamie Kennedy as the guy from Scream who knew everything about horror films. He was kind of amusing there, kind of. Some would argue that his film career should have ended there, yet somehow it didn’t. And where did that get us? Well, now we have Kickin’ It Old Skool.
Look, just cause you use words like “rad” and make references to Smurfs and C-3PO doesn’t make a funny 80’s reference. This film prides itself on nothing more than bad 80’s references like these and not much more. Even sticking David Hasselhoff in with his Knight Rider car doesn’t elevate this film even the littlest bit.
Kennedy plays Justin Schumacher, a kid in the 80’s who’s a good dancer. When he tries an impossible move during a talent show he knocks himself unconscious. Twenty years later he wakes up from this comma when he hears Herbie Handcock’s “Rockin’.” Only now everything has changed, accept Justin. He’s still a kid in his mind. It’s kind of like Big in a way, or 13 going on 30, only with the magic and really, really, really, bad.
Every cliché is incorporated here. His parents have spent a lot of money keeping him on life support for 20 years and now may lose their house. When they plead their case to Dr. Fry he responds, “Hey, I just paid off my Ferrari.” See Ferris Bueller’s Day Off if you don’t get that joke. The girl he liked is now dating his arch nemesis. A bunch of stupid scenes revolve around Justin adapting to our crazy modern day world with his 80’s, child-like mentality. Justin learns about a dance contest with $100,000 grand prize. So he has to get his old crew back together to try and win. Will he win the contest and save his parents house? Will he get the girl? Will he be able to pull off that impossible move that put him into a coma in the first place? What do you think?
This is an awful travesty of a comedy that I would not wish upon my worst enemy. This is an agonizingly painful piece of trash to sit through. I’m really not sure how many ways I can put this. This film is like some body’s bad idea of a joke and the joke is on any one who watches it. The plot is overused, the story is ridiculous, the acting is sub par at best and the humor is completely non-existent and derivative. Vivica A. Fox is in the film and you feel extremely sorry for her. To go from Kill Bill to this is a tragedy. This even seems to be a new low Hasselhoff, and that’s saying a lot.
The DVD:
This film is presented in 2.35:1 widescreen and Dolby Digital.
Extras:
Deleted Scenes: Frankly, this whole film should have ended up on the cutting room floor. Yet somehow these deleted scenes are some of the funniest part. Justin’s father Marty (Christopher McDonald) owns a yogurt shop and he rants about how yogurt is ruining his business. Perhaps the only time you’ll laugh out loud is during the deleted scenes.
The Inside Pulse
I’ve reviewed some bad films in my time but few if any have reach this level of retched. I pray you all heed this warning and avoid this film at all costs. A pox upon Jamie Kennedy for unleashing this filth upon us!
