Near Sporting Satire

Rating: Null/10 (12 June 2016)

Two longtime friends responsible for inventing a new national sport attempt to keep their game pure and free of corruption in this vibrant comedy starring 'South Park' creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. While neither Parker nor Stone is given writing credit, the movie is full of their trademark vulgar humour and for those not easily offended, there are some truly hilarious parts. At least a quarter of the jokes are too silly or crude to work (particularly the nude locker room scene) but the majority of gags hit home with some especially funny moments with Parker and Stone oblivious to mayhem happening in the background. The film misses the mark somewhat as a sporting satire though. As much fun as it is to have Robert Vaughn as a slimy, underhanded antagonist, it never really works to have Vaughn alone represent everything supposedly wrong with the sporting world as he wants players to switch teams and locations, wants to make a profit from sports merchandise, wants to manufacture the merchandise under child labour, and the list goes on. Ernest Borgnine's acting talents are also never quite maximised, though he does make the most of his half-senile, ageing team owner with one of the craziest video wills ever committed to screen! The film's big plus on the acting front is actually Parker and Stone. The repartee and chemistry between the pair is undeniable and they genuinely come off as overwhelmed by their newfound success and fame, much like they were experiencing in real life back then as 'South Park' found a bigger audience than either of them ever anticipated.