Dimension Films
Starring Charlie Sheen, Anna Faris, Regina Hall & Leslie Nielson
Rated PG-13
If you’re looking for a scare or even some sophisticated humor, "fuggedaboutit". You won't find either with Scary Movie 3, but you will find a machinegun barrage of silly jokes mixed with enough cartoon violence to make the Three Stooges proud. It’s classic Zucker, in this case David Zucker, who directed and partially wrote the movie. David is the brother of Jerry and partner of Jim Abrahams. Together, these three guys revolutionized comedy film in the1980s, beginning with “Airplane”. But more about that later.
D. Zucker is in top form with "Scary Movie 3", a film that spoofs "The Ring", "Signs", "The Sixth Sense" and even "8 Mile" in some measure. After all, you’ve got to work the hip-hop scene in there somehow. Charlie Sheen stars as Tom Logan, the one time man-of-the-cloth who has turned his back on religion and become a farmer. Anna Farris is back as Cindy, this time responsible for her young nephew who sees dead people, among other things. The boy is thrown out of windows, bashed in the head with hammers, hit by a car and catapulted fifty feet in the air, but always shows up in the very next scene without a scratch. No doubt, Zucker fans will get a huge kick from these fail-safe continuity gags.
In another scene, the boy’s Aunt leaves him with a babysitter who is a Catholic Priest. This film is an equal opportunity offender and no one gets a pass. And let’s not forget cameos by Pamela Anderson as Catholic School Girl #1, Queen Latifah as the Psychic Shaniqua, and Simon Cowell as himself. Simon plays a judge at the Rap Concert, but when he makes the same type of remarks that made him a household name on "American Idol", the contestants fire back, literally. Many real "Idol losers” probably wished they could have done the same.
In his role of the bumbling, dim-witted President, Leslie Nielson once again shows how funny serious acting can be. Although now nearing eighty, Nielson's delivery isn’t as strong as it used to be, but he does deliver a line that will have "Airplane" fans cheering. As for Charlie Sheen, he may very well be the next Leslie Nielson. Stay tuned for "Scary Movie 4".