Wild Hogs

By: The Dude

Director: Walt Becker
Cast: Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy, Ray Liotta, Marisa Tomei, M.C. Gainey
Rating: 3 out of 5

Here's a bit o' free Dude philosophy: If a movie has a funny joke, you say: "That's a funny joke." If there are enough funny jokes, eventually you say: "That's a funny movie". Wild Hogs, on that yardstick, is a funny movie.

I didn't go in to Hogs that are Wild expecting it to be the funniest movie of all time. I'd seen enough of it on Oprah to know it was no comedy classic. But what it does provide is enough laughs to make it a funny film. Truth be told, when I watched it I was coming off a huge weekend and was fairly tired. I was so fatigued, I probably woulda laughed at Norbit had it been on.

But sometimes, what happens is that a movie catches you at just the right time, hits all the right buttons, and generally keeps a fella entertained, is what it does.

Yes, the jokes are predictable, and yes they're more slapstick than high brow stuff, but who doesn't like slapstick. Some fella with a funny little mo made a lot of coin doing slapstick back in the '30s.

What this here cinematic experience concerns itself with is these four fellas who are getting a bit long in the tooth and wide in the guts. They decide it's time to go on a road trip, so set out on their Harleys for a cross-country trek.

Along the way they run foul of some real bikers, blow up a bar, slap a bull, save a town and get their mojo back. That's pretty much all there is to it.

Let it be said that I laughed out loud in several places, including:
1. William H Macy falling off a his bike
2. Martin Lawrence's mother-in-law line (see below)
3. Tim Allen's rescue attempt
4. William H Macy falling off a his bike
5. The sauce and mustard scene
6. The bull slapping scene
7. William H Macy falling off a his bike

Seven out-loud-laughs? Not a bad return for any film – especially one staring the mother of all Scientologist. I reckon it might be against John Travolta's religion to laugh out loud. I remember hearing someone along the ways that your Scientologist has to laugh silently or somethin'. But I'm a Christian, so what do I know?

Like I said somewhere in the midst of the second paragraph – I was tired when I watch this, so it may not have been worth seven laughs. Tell you what, I'll watch it again when I'm well rested and had the regular dose of beauty sleep, then let you know if it really was funny.

Verbatim:
Mother-in-law: “In my day, the women stayed home. Not the lazy men.”
Bobby: “In your day, men were busy building pyramids! How long ago was that?”

In a word: Fun

TWO DAYS LATER…

Yep. I watched it again and it must be said that this ain't half bad. Drew pretty much the same laughs to, so the Dude takes his hat off to the fine cast and crew.

Respect.