MovieChat Forums > Adventures of Power (2008) Discussion > Napoleon Dynamite on speed quits dodgeba...

Napoleon Dynamite on speed quits dodgeball to do Air Guitar

posted 16 years ago by willden21
10 replies | jump to latest

Yup thats exactly what this movie is, a rehash of a bunch of comedy movie cliche's and it is horrible. Power, strange name like Napoleon, has red hair and glasses and wears fanny packs and eighties clothes, like napoleon, and instead of sweet dancing moves he ha sweet air drumming skills. He then joins a rat pack of air drummers, kind of like the rat pack of idiots from dodgeball, with a black ex drumming claw handed legend ripped directly from the golf legend character from Happy Gilmore who leads Napoleon, I mean Power to victory

This isn't even a spoof, or a witty homage it is just a witless unoriginal dumb fest. The only laughs come from Adrien Grenier as the country star nemesis, everything else is pure rehashed garbage, please where is the originality, GOSH . . sorry but the makers of Napoleon should sue if they could.

[–] Anideos 16 years ago

Sorry, but you could not be more wrong about this hilarious movie. This film is funny throughout, yet it has more energy and verve than Napoleon Dynamite. 'Everyone steals from everyone' is a very old maxim in Hollywood, but this film rises above it because it is chock full of original stuff, while at the same time borrowing tropes and memes from 80s pop culture, among other sources. This film is, without a doubt, funnier than Napoleon Dynamite, albeit very much in the same vein. The claw-handed drummer, as the film makes clear, is a reference to Def Leppard, not Happy Gilmore. And this film manages to work several plotlines seamlessly together. I mean, at its heart, this is a film about the need for solidarity within the working class, something America needs to rediscover all over again.

[–] willden21 16 years ago

This film and Death In Love nearly ruined my Festival experience, thank heavens I saw 25 other films besides those that I loved. I just despised the film. I was at the screeningat the Tower Theater, and saw about 6 people walk out, In fact I heard most of the screenings had walk outs because it was so carbon copy. I have no problem with borrowing from other films, but this was straight out plagarism, and everything that was funny was a retread from another film. hopelessly stupid, horribly acted. I think my kindergarten daughters acting camp could do a better job then Ari Gold, I thought Adrian Grenier was the only redeeming factor, even though his part was horribly under-written.

I do agree some people will find it funny. But I look for something fresh or different, not something that looks, and feels, and sounds, and acts like another film. Napoleon Dynamite my friend was way better then this, way better. It was about subtle humor not over the top stupidity, like catching cheerios, plus every racial character was a straight out stereotype and even offended the guy next to me, you don't go to Sundance to see films that are rip-off rascist stupid over the top comedies for the teenage set. Maybe i just wished for something different, anyway I look at it, this film was horrible. But I know there are some people that will enjoy it and it will probably become a cult hit, especially among the Mormons here in Utah who loved Napoleon Dynamite. Also i bet stoners will enjoy it, hell i probably would have liked it if i was drunk.

[–] Anideos 16 years ago

First off, it doesn't matter if people walked out. Over the years I've seen people walk out of multiple good films at Sundance. Secondly, if it is "straight out plagarism" as you say, how could it even get in this year's festival without somebody from Sundance noticing and blocking it? It quite simply is NOT a case of plagarism. Thirdly, the film is not horribly acted! It's a comedy, for cryin' out loud! That's like saying Jack Black and Jim Carrey overact in their films.

Many, many people will find it funny because it is in fact funny. 'Napoleon Dynamite' is one of the most overrated comedies of the past decade, but I do admit that it's funny. As for your claim that 'Adventures of Power' is racist, well I just really don't know how to take that. I didn't get that from this film. You would have to cite specific examples and come up with some solid arguments to back up such a claim. I mean, is 'Nacho Libre' racist, too?

You haven't even begun to make your case. I can understand if you just didn't find it funny. I can even understand if it rubbed you the wrong way. However, I cannot understand your outrageous accusations of plagarism and racism, especially when you offer no evidence to support your claims.

In short, 'Adventures of Power' worked for me. I laughed myself silly because it made me laugh myself silly. Plus, it has a very pro working class message that I think many people could benefit from receiving right about now. And they even get you-know-who from RUSH to show up!! Man, if this was the worst film you saw at this year's Sundance, then either you must have seen only the good ones, or this is one of the best festivals in the history of Sundance.

[–] willden21 16 years ago

I respect your case, and I think it is just a case of opinions as are all films. Many people have attacked me for loving Downloading Nancy, which I loved, so I understand different strokes for different folks.

Like I said great drunk comedy, i just have higher expectations at Sundance. As far as my plagarism case i made that pretty clear, in fact every person i talked to, probably about 30 or so about that film said it was a Napoleon rip-off through and through.

The racism comment came from a guy I talked to about the film who pointed out every character fit to a stereotype, from the geek to the redneck to the afo wearing balck guy, to the overacted middle eastern character to the deaf girl and the cowboy ever character fits to a stereotype. In a DVD only release I would be less picky but something from Sundance should be more fresh and original, this simply was not.

I am not the only one, I can point you to about eight or nin different blogs and early critics reviews that also ripped on the film, worse then me.

This was not the worst film i saw, this year the worst one was Death In Love, that I hated, pure vile and pointless.

I love discussing films because I am open minded to people's opinions, but in the end everyone has an opinion to film, like i said different strokes for different folks. The only comedy this year that realy struck a chord with me was The Wackness, Drama's this year were pretty good and the documentaries were amazing.

[–] binksnimrod 16 years ago

The point of this movie was completely lost on you. This isn't a movie about air drumming. That's just a literary device.

This movie is about trying to express yourself in a pure way regardless of what the world deems accpetable. This movie is about performance art.

I find your posts especially interesting because as it turns out you are just like the characters in the film that give Power a hard time about air drumming. Because you just don't get it.

You saw a movie about a guy that wasn't accepted because he played air drums.

What you didn't see was a character that was trying to tell the world about what was beautiful, tragic, important, and lovely using the only thing he thought he was good at. He was trying to tell the world about life through music, without an instrument.

Futile exercise right? That's the point.

Perhaps you should see this movie again. You missed the subtext.

[–] willden21 16 years ago

I saw the message, but the execution of the film is what bothered me. hell there is a message in American Pie as well as in Harold & Kumar, but you dont go to stupid comedies for the message, you go to laugh and be entertained, the message is the icing on the cake, but i was not entertained. This is a comedy, the humor is the meat and potatoes of the film, and i found it too stupid and overdone to be funny. The message is cute, but you dont go to dinner to eat a bunch of stuff that tastes like crap, that has a nice garnish or presentation, in the ned this film fails at humor, and that ruins the film.

American Pie made a statement about the pressures on teenagers to have sex, Harold and Kumar has a subtext about racial relations in America. But I did not go to those films to be touched by a message. Most people who go to Adventures in Power will not care about the message, you go for the comedy, and the fact is the comedy in the film is all played out and cliche' it just did not work for me. It was too over the top for the message to really resonante.

I had the same problem with Click and 50 First Dates and all those Adam Sandler movies, you can't have such stupid comedy and then try to pull off a touching message in the end, it does not work, that is my opinion.

Even though this was an indie comedy, it still felt like nothing more then the comedies I previously mentioned, except I really Enjoyed Harold And Kumar, this like all Adam Sandler dreck is just hamfisted comedy with a schmaltzy message slapped on to make it a feel good film.

Just did not work for me and most of my friends and people I spoke to about the film. But I understand the film will find an audience similar to those who enjoy Adam Sandler and the teenage crowd will find it funny. I as an adult male almost thirty, found it uninspiring and dreadfully unfunny. But as I always say that is an opinion, i like a lot of films people do not, and that is fine. I just APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE CAN ALL PLEAD OUR CASES, amen to film lovers who can explain why they like and or dont like a film in a rational way using crititical thinking.

I just like the fact you two previous posters can ientify why you liked the movie, proves you are smart movie-goers, I just have a different taste then you two. But Bravo for pleading a good case, I just wish i would have enjoyed it more, i was so looking forward to it after reading the synopsis in the Sundance Catalogue, sadly I was dissapointed.

[–] freq32 14 years ago

Good Lord, what is wrong with you? Pretentious Movie Goer if I've ever seen one.
Racist? HAHA. Now I know you're trippin. Get some therapy dude.

[–] freq32 14 years ago

Good Lord, what is wrong with you? Pretentious Movie Goer if I've ever seen one.
Racist? HAHA. Now I know you're trippin. Get some therapy dude.

[–] lamariposa-1 14 years ago

Your analogy is interesting....

http://www.chud.com/articles/articles/13370/1/SUNDANCE-REVIEW-ADVENTURES-OF-POWER/Page1.html

[–] freq32 14 years ago

Oh, ok so because there is a similar movie no one else can do something similar!? It was completely different than Napoleon Dynamite in many ways! Lighten up, jerk.