And bugger me if every synopsis I overheard
involved the words: rape, incest, bestiality - and my favourite phrase
of the night - "...Then the pony gave the horse a blowjob". So it was with great relief when Eagle Vs Shark started - and shock horror - it was actually watchable...and, despite the title, contained no animal sex acts of any kind. This
quirky, offbeat charmer is essentially a tale of two oddball misfits -
Lily (Loren Horsley) a romantic dreamer who works in a fast food
restaurant, and Jarrod (one half of the Chonchords, Jemaine Clement) a
geeky video game store clerk. The film explores these two
socially awkward opposites and the strange ways they try to find love
from family and friends (through revenge on high-school bullies, video
games and candle making). Eagle vs Shark is, in some way, pitched as a romantic comedy. However in reality, it's more so the New Zealand born love child of The Royal Tenebaums and Napoleon Dynamite -
an ironically tragic tale for those who have ever felt trapped
within their own idiosyncratic world, as well as a unique study of
social acceptance systems - from the ultra cool to the ultra loser. Jemaine
Clement is superb as the deadpan and undeservedly arrogant Jarrod, and
without doubt the star of the flick. While you tend to get the nagging
feeling that it's far too close to Napoleon Dynamite - like a spin off
or sequel - the film is still ridiculously funny and entertaining. Less
than ten minutes in and already it was my new favourite comedy to
quote. Every understated line is delivered perfectly, a wonderful mix
of reality, quirkiness and comic book creation. Horsley is
fantastic as well, so much so that her sweet performance almost
destroys the aim of the film. She portrays Lily as such a beautifully
innocent and kind-hearted girl, that when the time comes for director
Taika Waititi to make us feel all warm and mushy as the pair finally find love - you kind of don't want them to. Put bluntly - Jarrod is
a selfish bastard. Mismatched love aside, there is very little wrong with Eagle Vs Shark.
It's funny, it's quirky, it's (in a way) original, it's sweet and
visually stunning. It's an impressive looking feature,
especially with the intermittent pieces of animation. This new comedy is well worth
checking out if it ends up getting a mainstream release in Australia, as this
is one of the funniest and most enjoyable films of the year. Don't
believe me? Well, just wait until you see the final showdown between
Jarrod and his old school bully - one of the funniest comedy film
moments. Ever.
EXTRAS
Lots
of stuff on offer here, which is fantastic to see - especially
considering how little time is devoted to extras on most low budget
flicks.
Here we have a couple of Director and cast audio
commentaries (Clement is one funny man), Deleted scenes, Interview with
director Taika Waititi as well as assorted chats with Cast and crew.
There's also a bit of fun with 'The Mouse Wheel', which should keep fans entertained for a few hours.
Must have for comedy fans.
Conclusion:
Movie 80% Extras: 60%
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