There are good films and there are bad films, then there is a whole laundry list of films that are simply right there in the middle. The ‘average’ film is a confusing prospect, they’re not really unique nor do they have any elements that would make them truly horrible. They’re just there, kind of forgotten, no one really looks into them. However, for the purposes of reviewing, I’ve spent a fair share of time watching average films, and I’ve come to realize that some of them have a weird kind of allure to them. Scary Movie 4, however, is an average film that does not have any allure to it.
How to Download Scary Movie 4
You can download the film from a digital store. You can also stream it. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. Check out also the previous installments in the series – Scary Movie (2000), Scary Movie 2 (2001), and Scary Movie 3 (2003).
The Movie Review
When Cindy Campbell, who is unemployed, is recruited to look after an elderly woman in a cursed home, she encounters a boy’s spirit. While all is going on, Tom Ryan, the crane operator who lives next door, is spending the weekend with his loser son Robbie and his little daughter Rachel. When Giant Tripods attack Earth, Tom flees with Robbie and Rachel; Cindy visits a town in search of the solution to a puzzle that will aid them in saving the Earth. Meanwhile, the president of the United States organizes the defense of the planet in the UN under his wise and capable guidance.
David Zucker is back in the director’s seat, and in all honesty, at times I was wondering how to even analyze this film. Analyzing this movie won’t lead to anything, as some reviewers have undoubtedly attempted and failed in more ways than one. It’s not a rib-tickling comedy by any means, but it did manage to amuse me for the short and sweet 80-minute run time. The jokes are largely predictable and corny, and there is a lot of boring old slapstick, but when there is nothing else on TV, it is unquestionably a good old “time killer.”
Regarding “Michael Jackson’s” cameo in the movie, I still crack up whenever I think about it. It’s amazing how they got away with it, and it makes for a funny scene. The sets for War of the Worlds have been beautifully recreated, and I’m pleased I’ve seen all the movies that Scary Movie 4 parodies because it would be a completely boring affair without the added context. The secret to appreciating a Scary Movie is to think of it as a collection of parodies of well-known movies rather than as a standalone picture.
The spoofs this time around are much more evident and need just as little thought to comprehend as it probably did to create them. However, David Zucker excels at making crass visual jokes and immature humor. I just wish that he could’ve directed this film in a much more compact manner, making sure that the stories intertwined properly instead of it just being a bunch of gags randomly edited in.
Now to talk about this film’s acting, which is just as bad as the acting in every single one of them. However, at this point, I feel like the acting is overdone and bad on purpose, which is something I can appreciate. Though, in all honesty, the characters aren’t interesting enough for me to care about the actors’ efforts, it just doesn’t do much for the viewer.
Visually, there’s a lot to like here. The production design is much more intense this time around, larger sets, with the above-mentioned recreation of the War of the Worlds locales which are simply perfect. There’s even more stuff here this time around that’s well done in terms of production, with the cinematography having slightly more style than before. It might not be great or even good, but it’s much better than before. I can’t say the same about the music though, it’s the same classic spoof music that people of this franchise can expect.
The Verdict
Avoid this movie if you can’t stomach crude, obvious, or lowbrow comedy. Despite my admiration of the humor in Scary Movie 3, in my opinion, Scary Movie 4 was the funniest film in the entire series. I don’t have the heart to criticize a movie if it can keep me laughing for an hour and 22 minutes. Even though Scary Movie 4 is unquestionably not a “good” film, it’s difficult to dismiss comedy when it’s this entertaining.
