Movie Review: Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story

Stars (Out of 10): 4.5

One Word Summary: Stoopid

Movie Details: Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story Comedy MPAA RATING PG-13 for rude and sexual humor, and language 96 minutes | Color USA WRITTEN BY Rawson Marshall Thurber   DIRECTED BY Rawson Marshall Thurber THEATRICAL RELEASE Jun 18, 2004   Relevant Sites: IMDB Official Movie Website Watch The Movie Trailers Shopping: Shop Amazon for items related to this movie. Shop for movie posters at AllPosters

"Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" Review:

          Dodgeball is about a bunch of misfits that band together to save the Average Joe Gym. After the founder of Globo Gym, White Goodman, buys out the mortgage of his smaller neighbor, the guys at Average Joe have 30 days to raise the $50,000 to pay back the bank. After failing to raise the money through a car wash, Owner Peter La Fleur and his team turn to dodgeball and decide to compete in the International Dodgeball Tournament in Las Vegas. With the help of dodgeball legend Patches O'Houlihan, the Average Joes will look to defeat Globo Gym and save their gym.

          Let me start off by saying that I'm usually a big fan of Ben Stiller and his brand of comedy; it's very rarely intelligent, but almost always hilarious. Dodgeball's jokes are all low-brow and below the belt. If wrenches and dodgeballs being thrown at the part of a man's body that makes him bend over in pain doesn't crack you up each and every time you see it, you might want to look elsewhere.

          Dodgeball is a combination of every sports cliché that's ever been established. I won't give up the ending, but let me tell you now, it's exactly what you expect. The characters are all formulas, except for the guy who thinks he's a pirate (for no apparent reason, and for no comedic value). The random cameos, by David Hasselhoff, Lance Armstrong and Chuck Norris, only go to further prove that the writer/director was probably under the influence of drugs when he wrote this terrible at best screenplay.

          Without the help of three comedically capable actors, Ben Stiller (in his worst film in years, granted I didn't see Envy), Vince Vaughn (who's still underrated both as a comedic and dramatic actor), and Christine Taylor (Marcia Marcia Marcia) this movie would be even further down the drain.

          Dodgeball is a bad copy of BASEketball (pick your jaw up off the ground and keep reading), where BASEketball went to spoof sports and sports movies, Dodgeball only succeeds in warranting a spoofing of its own. 'Hit in the balls' comedy is one rung lower than fart jokes… and 'hit in the balls with a wrench' is even lower!

          Gary Cole and Jason Bateman's performances as dodgeball announcers on ESPN 8, 'The Ocho,' fall far short of Bob Costas and Al Michaels' comedic showings in BASEketball. I guess all the humor didn't come from ball to balls jokes; about half of the already short movie is wasted by Ben Stiller and Jason Bateman's characters literally repeating what other characters just said. If that's not funny, than what is!

The Bottom Line is that Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (come on, even the subtitle is terrible) is just way too dumb. It's possible that I just don't get 'it,' but I've always gotten 'it' before. The fact is that there just isn't anything to laugh at in this terribly stupid excuse for a film… my fingers are crossed for Anchorman!