Funny but inconsistent with only a few memorable segments

Rating: 6/10 (6 January 2005)

Being a big fan of Will Ferrell and "SNL" humor in general I made a blind buy with the "Anchorman" DVD. I had heard it was supposed to be very funny, and to some extent it is - there are a few scenes that are hilarious, and a few clever/subtle jokes that you might miss on first viewing.
However, I was overall disappointed with the film, and felt it was a bit too silly and over-the-top. I do enjoy silly comedies but this one was just a bit too childish - the first ten minutes are awful stuff, with not a single good joke, and just loads of lame sex gags.
However the "Gangs of New York" battle spoof is utterly hilarious and no doubt the scene I will remember most. It has a handful of really funny jokes - "Oh yeah? Well you're about to be in dead place!" being one of them.
The cameos are really amusing - Ben Stiller, Vince Vaugn, Jack Black, Luke Wilson, and Tim Robbins amongst them (there are also some SNL actor cameos scattered throughout). However the one thought I came away with was this: Ben Stiller really needs to slow down the amount of movies he's starring in! Cameo or not....
Ferrell is funny as always and (as always) never breaks character. He's good at doing this and like Phil Hartman is the sort of comedian who, even off-screen, still seems to act distant and humorous. Ron Burgundy is a funny character, and Ferrell portrays him well. The movie's sexist commentary of the 1970s and the clever news group insights are worth watching for, as are some of the few funny scenes - however overall this really is a disappointment, being too childish and stupid, and I for one just felt it missed a lot of potential.
That said, some of the jokes will stay with you, like, "Because you're probably wanted for murder." It's a testament to Ferrell's abilities that he can make unfunny lines very funny, relying solely on pronunciation and delivery for effectiveness.