Scary Movie 4

I went into this film a little hesitantly...How can there possibly be a fourth Scary Movie that still keeps its humour? Well, it was (half) possible. Although the overall structure isn't as tight as the other three, the jokes are often still 'fresh' and there's a lot of slapstick, which, although predictable, is still funny! Anna Faris (Cindi), as always, is still on top form, as is Regina Hall (Brenda) and together, they deliver some fantastic comedy.

If you're looking for a new, original comedy, perhaps this isn't for you. However, if you're a fan of Scary Movie 1, 2 and 3, then how could you boycott this one?! Go for it, even if it's only 80 minutes for a laff and a haff!

Be honest with yourself.. You don't watch these type of movies for the story, you watch them for the laughs and it delivers just that. There is nothing to learn here, this movie has no depth what so ever but it doesn't need it.

I can safely say that this is one of the most braindead movies I have ever seen in my 32 year long life and I enjoyed every second of it. Don't take it too seriously and you will have a good time.

Its pointless trying to analyse this film as some reviewers have obviously tried to do here. Its not hilarious by any means but it does pass an amusingly enjoyable 80 minutes of time. The gags are mostly clichéd and predictable, there's lots of tired old slapstick but when there's nothing else on TV (which is why I watched this) it certainly fits the bill. As for the appearance of 'Michael Jackson' in the film, I'm still laughing every time I think about it - heaven knows how they got away with it, but its certainly a funny moment!! Im' glad that I had seen all the films that this tries to spoof and the re-creation of the sets for War of the Worlds is fantastic. Its so close to the original.

I really didn't loved the first SCARY MOVIE despite it had some funny moments because I thought that for the most part the gags were of the juvenile humour sort. Second and third were ok, but when I arrived to the fourth I thought that I was watching a different movie than most of the other reviewers (and I still haven't seen the fifth).

In the beginning Dr. Phil and Shaquille O'Neal (as themselves) are in a basement just like Leigh Wannell and Cary Elwes in the ending of the first SAW. After they try to break free Phil notices he cut the wrong foot and then the movie unfolds with a lightning fast parody of films released in those years such as WAR OF THE WORLDS (with Craig Bierko and Michael Madsen in the roles that were of Tom Cruise and Tim Robbins), THE VILLAGE (with Bill Pullman and Carmen Electra in the roles that were of William Hurt and Bryce Dallas Howard), MILLION DOLLAR BABY, SCOOBY DOO 2 and some others.

I liked this installment more despite its paltry 5,1 on IMDB at the moment because some of the moments made me genuinely laugh. Not that there weren't some bad jokes, but the funny moments outweighted the lousy ones, and I never felt bored while watching it.

In substance, if you don't take this movie too seriously, you'll surely enjoy it like I did... and the fact that I am not a huge fan of spoof movies yet I liked it says a lot.

Scary Movie 4. Is it an example of good film-making? No. Will future film students study this movie and its revolutionary techniques? No. Could I have written this script in half an hour while stoned? Yes. Can I remember the last time I laughed this hard? No.

The key to enjoying a Scary Movie is to see it as a series of sketches based on popular movies, rather than a stand-alone film. The spoofs are extremely obvious and require as little thought to understand as it must have taken to write them. But as far as juvenile humour and crude visual jokes go, David Zucker does it right. You might question Zucker's actual skills as a director, but I dare you to call any of his movies unfunny.

Another reviewer mentioned that he missed the Wayans' style of comedy and brought up the scene where a blind Carmen Electra mistakes a church seat for a toilet as one of the funny scenes. Funny how I thought that was the only scene in the entire movie where the comedy fell on its face. The Wayans' relied far too much on lame sexual humour and gross-out jokes and I enjoy slapstick far more than that.

Not that Scary Movie 4 doesn't have its fair share of (hilarious) crude jokes. I won't spoil all the fun for you, so I'll just mention my favourite: Charlie Sheen, haunted by his past, tries to commit suicide, unfortunately the sleeping pills he swallowed turn out to be Viagra. That's the level of the humour in this movie, and if you are entertained by violent slapstick, people getting hit by cars, sexual jokes, and brilliant dialogue such as:

"I saw this face..."

"With a nose?"

"Yes."

"Hmm. Sounds like a face."

...then this movie is worth buying a ticket for. But if you can't stand lowbrow, dirty, and obvious comedy, you better stay away. Personally I thought 4 was the funniest in the entire series, after #3. If a movie can make me laugh for an hour and 22 minutes, I can't hate it. While Scary Movie 4 definitely isn't a "good" movie, it's hard to put down comedy this funny. Craig Bierko does a very good Tom Cruise impression, as well. If you liked the other movies, especially 3, this is a must see.

Dirty, juvenile comedy is rarely this funny. Strongly recommended if you're in the mood.(r#16)