Quirky and Entertaining But Grisly Action-Comedy

Rating: 8/10 (25 June 2007)

It's hard to pigeonhole this one as a comedy, an action film, or a thriller, but it's fair to say it has elements of all three genres. If you are accustomed to Hollywood films that neatly fit into one of these genres, you will no doubt size this one up as a cop/buddy film (i.e., Lethal Weapon, Bad Boys, etc.) but you will be in for a shock as the film progresses, if only for the occasional but graphic violence that lies ahead. I say "graphic," but it all seems a little cartoon-like when you see how the characters react to it. If you think of the Monty Python skit of the knight slowly being dismembered but continuing to fight off his foe sans arms and legs, you're on the right track. I didn't see Shaun of the Dead so it was my first encounter with either of the leads, who are both very good. All in all, this is not a classic but it is a nice diversion from the fare that Hollywood usually serves.