Again I am part of the small minority

Rating: 3/10 (30 October 2001)

I was under the assumption that this movie, or one of the "Monty Python" movies, was on AFI's list of funniest comedies of all time. This is probably the movie, since I also see it as Number 53 on the IMDB favorites list. Why? Beats me.
Now, I have only seen glimpses of the classic "Monty Python" show. I think most of the actors involved have real talent. I've seen Eric Idle, John Cleese and Michael Palin in other movies and TV shows, and think they are all very talented comedians who are capable of making me laugh hysterically. I don't know if the show is any funnier than this movie, but I hope it is. But now that I saw this movie, I'm not too enthusiastic about checking out the show.
I didn't think "This is Spinal Tap" or "Caddyshack"--two gloriously acclaimed comedies that are also on the AFI list--were all that brilliant either. Again, I am part of the minority. With those two films, I received angry emails by people saying that the humor flew over my head and I should watch those films again to see if I missed something. Well, in the case of "MP and the Holy Grail," what the hell did I miss???!!! Let me see: we have a Knight that says "Ni" and a rabbit that bites people's heads off. Wow! Subtle! If those gags flew over my head, then it was for the right reasons. And worse of all, each gag is stretched out to the point where you just want to punch these actors out. So you have a lame gag, equipped with a lame setup and lame punchline--let's just rub salt on a wound and repeat it over and over again! Maybe "Monty Python" is an acquired taste. Maybe I have to watch several episodes of the show to get adjusted to the humor. There has to be some reason why it became one of the most memorable sketch comedies shows, worldwide. But that still doesn't guarantee I will eventually find humor in these goofy gags.
I don't like to stereotype British comedy, because there are in fact some that I find quite funny. And their humor is not always bland as a certain number of (American) viewers say it is. I've seen episodes of "Mr. Bean" with Rowan Atkinson, and think it is one of the funniest shows I've ever seen. I also like Atkinson's other show "The Thin Blue Line" and "Keeping Up Appearances" (I forgot the name of the actress who stars on the show). But the humor in this movie is as bland as bland can get. Why build a series of elaborate set pieces when all you're going to have are a bunch of characters doing lame VERBAL gags? Throughout the film, I couldn't help but ponder, "If only Mel Brooks would've written the script...God, it could've been so much funnier!" What we have are comedic angles of the tales of such warriors as King Arthur and Robin Hood, and not one satirical jab came to mind? I'm still a firm believer that there should be a certain element of truth to every joke. Some good examples are in Mel Brooks' "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" when Cary Elwes (playing Robin Hood) says, "I'm the only Robin Hood who can speak with an English accent" and when the Chief of Nottingham is portrayed as the Chief of Rottingham.
And who came up with the decision to show lots of blood? I know the violence looks fake, but come on! This is a comedy! Again, rubbing salt on a wound.
I thought the film was lame from the get-go, from the minute they started that running gag involving King Arthur pretending to ride up to the castle on a horse by having his peasant bang coconut shells together to make it sound like a horse trotting. But as the film goes along, it gets more and more annoying. It's only ninety minutes long, but it felt like an eternity. "Braveheart" would feel shorter in comparison (because that happens to be a great movie).
For those who are fans of the "Monty Python" series, you might want to argue my opinions. And I'm sure you'd probably take my criticisms for granted. But I'm not going to pretend to laugh and pretend I enjoyed the film thoroughly to go along with the bandwagon. For those who think I'm a comedic snob, I'll tell you what I think is funny. "My Cousin Vinny" is funny. "The Big Lebowski" is funny. "Analyze This" is funny. Those are only a few of the comedies I find hilarious. I can go on and on. If I don't find these boring, repetitive gags funny, then so be it. Once again, another comedy I have to watch with someone else to actually get an idea of what is supposed to be humorous.
My score: 3 (out of 10)