Second-Rate Film About a Second-Rate Activity.

Rating: Null/10 (26 July 2004)

The extended title says it all as a group of underdogs led by Vince Vaughn enter an international dodgeball competition in Las Vegas so they can win $50,000 and keep their old run-down fitness gym open. Of course there is the evil Ben Stiller who wants to eliminate them as competitors and turn their building into extended parking space. And caught in the middle is tax attorney Christine Taylor (Stiller's real-life wife) who gets torn between helping Vaughn and his team and doing her job. Rip Torn is priceless as an old 1930s dodgeball wizard who trains and tutors Vaughn's rag-tag team. Cameos from some of the most annoying people to ever be on film (William Shatner, Chuck Norris, David Hasselhoff and dull bicycling wonder-man Lance Armstrong) and stupid commentary from annoying announcers Gary Cole and Jason Bateman during the final stages of the production coincide to complete a thoroughly mediocre comedic effort. For once I think that Stiller should have been around more often as he is the only real life blood in this stinker as "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" finally gets decapitated by elements much more lethal than flying rubber spheres (things like bad writing, poor direction, ho-hum acting and waning attempts at cheap laughs are commonplace throughout). Still not terrible for the genre, but ultimately a very unspectacular and normal effort for all concerned. 2.5 out of 5 stars.