Product: Dodgeball/Borat Bonus Preview Disc (2004)
Rating: 5.0
It is a Game of Degradation, Violence and Exclusion!
"Dodgeball" is something from left field on more than one count, and something quite new for Ben Stiller. Neeedless to say, I laughed until I nearly saw lunch again, and laughed some more.The plot is pretty simple: small time gym owner nearly loses gym to big time, flashy competitor who is so full of himself that it defies description. Add a love interest, and some excellent comedy, and you have "Dodgeball".I have a very violent sense of humour, (I thought "Hannibal" was a laugh, just to give you an idea), so "Dodgeball" really appealed to me. As others have mentioned, the "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball" scene is priceless in its comedy. To see the poor guy squirming on the floor in abject pain was truly hilarious.Additionally, Rip Torn and Hank Azaria as Patches O'Houlihan are both brilliant. Describing the game as "degradation, violence and exclusion" was genius, followed by more violent humour.Ben Stiller deserves special mention for his performance as White Goodman, the owner of Globo-Gym, the evil rival. Getting way outside his usually anal-retentive characters, Stiller makes a disturbingly good prick and general nasty type."Dodgeball" has it all: feel good story, violent humour, sexual innuendo, situational humour, satire and just great fun all round. For a seriously good laugh, this movie is the funniest I have seen since "Team America"!