MovieChat Forums > Incident at Loch Ness (2004) Discussion > Wow, that was horrible.

Wow, that was horrible.

posted 17 years ago by mfurman12
25 replies | jump to latest

I saw the previews for this movie in 2004 and i was so excited to see it. Fortunately, i never got around to it. Unfortunately, i ended up finding it for 5 bucks at a used DVD store. I was ripped off by 4.99. This film was crap from the word go. Wait i take that back, it turned to crap as soon as Zak Penn came on the screen. He has to be the most annoying human being i've ever seen on film. I understand that his acting was a schtick and part of the movie but it was really terrible and completely unbelievable. Also, that monster was just awful, they could've tried a little harder than that lump of whatever it was. I'm really ashamed for Werner Herzog who is a fantastic film maker and really tried his best in this film to make it believable. He just couldn't save it by himself though. I have to say that the worst part of them movie had to be when Penn pulled the flare gun on Herzog. Trash.

[–] joe_647 17 years ago

Eh, I wasn't a big fan of this movie myself.

Ramones, the best band ever.

[–] odbeester 17 years ago

I don't think you guys were watching this movie as what it was intended to be: a mockumentary/shaggy dog story. of COURSE Zak Penn was annoying: that's what he was trying to do! He was portraying himself as an almost impossibly big *beep* vain, pretentious and morally bankrupt.

You guys do know this was not an actual documentary, right?

[–] jwgmm 17 years ago

Not that it's all that bad (6/10), but Zak Penn tips it into Blair Witch land way too early - when he arrives at Werner's house. His "acting" is just too amateurish.

"Intelligence is overrated. What's required is diligence. And the service of a willing spirit."

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] shocking_shopaholic 17 years ago

I agree. I'm still trying to figure out how to get back the 94 minutes of my life that I wasted watching this film. I had no expectations for this movie, but since it was listed as a mockumentary I thought it would be funny. I didn't laugh once.

[–] zap644 17 years ago

And so you figured you could maybe get back a few minutes by posting here?

I thought it was brilliant, but then again I enjoy subtle humor much more than those geared to children.

[–] jukuren 17 years ago

Kinda shocked anyones trying to play this off as high brow humor! I knew all about it trying to be a mockumentry going in & I think it failed miserably.
Obviously Penn was supposed to be a jackass, & theres lots of poking fun at Werner and his film making history/style but I just couldn't care less about either of them in this. (Had high hopes cause I love Werner too!)
The beginning looked promising, but it just seemed to drive itself into this ridiculous place that wasn't funny, just annoying.
I'm all for alternative film making, experimental comedy and such-- But this did nothing for me--All in all just a waste of time & talent.

[–] ElCarnal 15 years ago

Well, I too knew it was a mockumentary before watching it, and I think knowing spoils it a little.
But there still are some extremely funny scenes; I absolutely loved the one were this stupid producer threatens Herzog with a gun because he's "heard that Herzog did the same to Kinski in Aguirre". The way Herzog says he's fed up with these rumors is hilarious too.
The sonar operator, name of the boat, monster prop, and a million other details were highly entertaining.

I was just a bit disappointed by the ending, I didn't think it worked well. I was expecting something like that to happen, but the suspense was not built up enough for it to be scary, and it was not funny either (not intended to be funny anyway). Even playing it in my head I can think of many ways to make the ending more scary/believable.

[–] DavidSShea 17 years ago

This was pathetic, I was looking forward to an actual documentary and I got a garbage film.

[–] shoeihell 17 years ago

I think the film did exactly what it set out to do. Anyone who was fooled into seeing it because they ‘thought’ it was an actual documentary about ‘The Loch Ness’ monster didn’t do their homework. The film was a post modernistic farce, a mockumentary and a very clever self-parody of Herzog.

All that being said, personally for me, the movie didn’t work. I just didn’t wind up with the resulting fan ‘feel’ they intended. If anything, I don’t think they went far enough with some of the characters. But, I’m sure many are fanatically in love with this flic and I can’t fault them for that. But by the same token, I hope our movie going experiences are always subjective and just because something is supposed to be ‘art’, ‘cult’ status, or done by a famous director, doesn’t mean we automatically bow to its existence.

I wish to tread lightly upon my friends but love them deeply

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] burdenhand-1 17 years ago

On the contrary, Hooper450. I LOVE Herzog. LOVE his films. I knew that it was a mockumentary going in. I know that Werner and Zak Penn are poking fun at industry cliches and themselves. I know. I still don't think it worked. And I think it's Zak Penn's fault.

[–] sdws17 17 years ago

I thought it was good, and i was going in expecting a documentary too. i was surprised that it wasn't, and step by step i began wondering if it was real or not. true, it did have a bit over the top scenes like the flare gun part, but it was still entertaining and Herzog was great in it

[–] BruceMemblatt 17 years ago

I tell you why it worked because even though you knew it was a mock there were moments it felt believable. Herzog wasn't so much poking fun at industry cliches as he was in actuality exploring the boundaries between fact and fiction in a serious manner.

[–] BaalMan78 17 years ago

In the beginning of the mockumentary, Herzoh claims that involuntarily he became famouns for making "danger" films. it seems to me that the aim of mockumentary is making fun of this. as said before it's needed to watch previous Herzog's films to this joke make any sense. out of this perspective the mockumentary seems a waste

[–] KayTee847 17 years ago

i absolutely agree with you, only some who are familiar with Herzog and his work might geniunely find this film good.

Penn was really good at acting as an absolute d'ckhead in this movie but i have to say i did laugh out loud at some of the things he said, especially at the end of the film:

"people talk about suffering, well i suffer the most...except for the people who are dead"

good film, VERY well executed. herzog (amazing)

[–] cbartal 17 years ago

I was browsing my Dish menu when this movie came up. I'd heard a little about Herzog over the years, but the only film I'd actually seen was Grizzly Man.

I've got to admit that I fell for this movie up until the time that the girl stripped into the bikini.

This was the breaking point. I think if the film had remained as subtle as it had been prior to this scene that it would've maintained my admiration. But the second the LN Monster torso was walked out in the production office I was on to it, and it was obviosuly over the top. This made the rest of the film pointless.

[–] wjs111 17 years ago

I had no clue what to expect, I actually bumped into this film by accident on tv late one night. I like the Christopher Guest style and spotted it almost immediately. I liked the setting of the movie for one, and the improv/reality style and the subtle comedy everywhere. Then the absurdity of zak penn and his ridiculous ideas drove the comedy, which became funny when bounced off the reserved and frustrated werner herzog. Herzog is just so likable anyway, and his character was great. I couldn't stop watching it and in the end thought it was hilarious.
I can recognize that this style of mockumentary has been around and this film isn't a first. But I'm glad this style is being perpetuated, and with this story and actors, I was satisifed.

[–] frinky99 17 years ago

Wow, you're an idiot.

[–] wjs111 17 years ago

says the guy who thinks comedies should all be more like hot fuzz.
way to think outside the box jackass

[–] raininjava 17 years ago

This movie was so uniquely funny that its ability to make you laugh could be a measure of your Humor IQ. Turn it into a standardized test and make it part of the next president's No Comic Left Behind initiative.

[–] killdawabbittn 14 years ago

This movie was hilarious. One of my top three of all time. Having Nessie eat everyone was brilliant.

[–] thewinelord 14 years ago

Wow- you didn't like the monster effects? I thought they were brilliant. Kept me guessing as to what it was the whole time. Couldn't tell initially how it was even done. Nice and subtle.

As to the humour, I have worked on productions like this and almost every incident resonated with me. I can see how maybe it wasn't for everyone, and I'm not trying to imply that I 'got it' more than anyone else. It just had a "Bowfinger" insider feel to it.

I just noticed that this post was made originally a while ago, and it's a little late to weigh in... but still, this is my opinion.

[–] richardzelniker 13 years ago

lol. op = classic.