One Minute Movie Review: Paul

I am consistently impressed that just when I think you have seen the most moronic, predictable, senseless film another one arrives in your local theater or mailbox and raises the bar of being a ridiculous waste of time. Setting aside the blatantly agnostic message that portrays Christians as dirty, stupid, gun toting, trailer trash you are left with a failed attempt to pay tribute to some of history’s favorite science fiction flicks and the geekdom that adores them.  Laden with borrowed one liners from a plethora of sci-fi greats that seem overused rather than appropriately and effectively placed and utilized. This movie boils down to a satirical send up of ET portraying the alien as a pot smoking, foul mouthed, atheist, who enlists two British nerds and a goofy, and even more so foul mouthed, "true believer" converted to agnosticism to assist him in escaping the unfunny and juvenile agents who try to capture and kill the cosmic comic. The humor is great if you are fourteen and bored. he effects are good and Paul’s physical appearance on screen is realistic and somewhat cool but as far as creature creation is predicable and somewhat unimaginative. This is the only redeeming factor of the entire experience. Seth Rogan could have done so much more with this character but rather than create a truly funny and creative persona that would have been a cinematic touchdown he punts and goes for cheap and adolescent bathroom humor that seems to be the new norm in these so called edgy and contemporary comedies. This is a complete fail when it could have been a terrific satire. The acting is stale and sub par. Especially given the fact that this outing recruited some A List talent like Bateman and Weaver, what a waste of skill and presence. But at least LA is consistent in producing this type of dribble. 0 out of 5 Kernels, I wish this ET would have stayed home.