The stakes are high for Planet Earth in this ambitious IndieGoGo-funded Sci-Fi comedy about a team of squabbling misfits who must put aside their differences for the greater good.
In 1977, the U.S government receive a message from an alien race warning them of a conflict coming to Earth. To aid them in their battle, the Antareans send over a “suit of power” that will help in the fight, but it will take a number of years to reach our world. In preparation, the Government start training the “perfect” human (Alan Ritchson) from birth to be our planet’s Champion. Fast forward to present day and the Government are anxiously waiting the arrival of said Power-suit when it is inadvertently intercepted by a couple of Texan-drunks, Herman (Colton Dunn) and Woody (Gavin Free), a Cop, Hagan (Burnie Burns) and a cocky High School Quarterback, Zach (Michael Jones). As the group argue amongst themselves about what to do, the alien tech ends up being split between the four of them, each taking a piece for themselves during a chaotic couple of minutes, and as the Government arrive to retrieve their only hope they realise they’re too late. With the impending danger only four days away, and the suit now being literally matched to its owners, the Government’s hands are tied and an improvised plan to train the foursome in just a matter of days is put into practise.
Lazer Team will appeal hugely to those who are fans of Rooster Teeth, the comedy team that Matt Hallum (Writer and Director) and Burnie Burns (also co-writer) used as a platform to get Lazer Team up and running in the first place. For those who don’t know the production company, it won’t be as easy of a ride. It’s too long, the jokes are hit-and-miss (more miss) and generally the main cast can’t really act very well at all. Star power is severely lacking, and the big name the film does have attached to it – Alan Ritchson – is completely mis-used and wasted in favour of the four, inferior leads. And while it’s completely fair that Burnie Burns would want to star in his own work – and to his credit, he is the better of the lot, with Gavin Free doing a passable job too – Michael Jones and Colton Dunn don’t have that excuse to hide behind.
Lazer Team seems to get lost between knowing whether it’s a parody film or a straight-shooting Sci-Fi comedy. Probably aiming to be a cult-comedy classic, but ultimately likely to fail. It’s a nice concept, and a nice try, but sadly doesn’t end up leaving a lasting mark. There’s nothing particularly special about it, there isn’t a stand-out trademark that allows to audience to fall in love with the film. It’s slightly silly, but not overly silly enough for that to be it’s ‘thing’, and the jokes/acting aren’t strong enough to be a contender for a big comedy film.
There are a couple of genuinely big laugh out loud moments, but these are too few and far between and during the try-hardy periods things just become dull and you lose interest. However, you can’t deny the marketing around the film has been a huge success and part of that no doubt contributes to the fact that a Lazer Team sequel on the way. Hopefully the team behind ‘The Team’ have managed to learn from their first outing and we can get a lot more of the good – because there really were moments – and ends up being a rare sequel that outshines its predecessor.
Lazer Team is available now on DVD and Digital download.
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