A week ago, I went to see "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," which I must say is the filthiest movie ever made. Nothing but dirty jokes and tons of profanity. The kind of film that simply shows the decline in cinematic society, rather than the advancement. Watching "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" I was relieved. I've always been a fan of Woody and though this is not a hysterically funny comedy that will deliver a laugh a minute, it delivers good, honest laughs and that's what I appreciated most about it. If we were living in the 1940's or 50's, a comedy like this would be no big deal. Actors and actresses in those eras knew how to make people laugh, without even uttering a minute sexual reference. Because they were professionals and they were talented and they knew what comedy was all about. Despite heavy regulations on censorship, they delivered hilarious gags with the greatest of ease. Showing us it isn't the least bit necessary to use sex or bodily functions to make audiences laugh. "COJS" is like an old-fashioned comedy and it happens to be set in the dawning of the 1940's.
For all you Woodyphiles expecting those grand Woody zingers--you won't be disappointed. One of his biggest gifts is witty dialogue. In this movie the dialogue is not only witty, but incredibly intelligent. So even if this is not the funniest movie ever, I'm certainly not going to say this is one of Woody's minor works. The chemistry--or should I say, non-chemistry--between Woody and Helen Hunt (his nemesis) is sharp. They build up a great tension--angry and sexual. I also liked the sexual innuendos between Woody and Charlize Theron, who plays the seductive Laura Kensington. Some say that Woody purposely wrote those scenes into the script so that he can have a couple of steamy scenes with the beautiful actress; I think not. The innuendos between them are very honest and she even admits at one point that she's used to strong, muscular men. Those scenes between Woody and Charlize are some of the film's funniest moments.
I'm guessing Woody used a slightly bigger budget that usual to produce this comedy, which you can consider a period piece. He really brings out a great aura of 1940's New York. Of course, I wasn't around during that time period, so I can't exactly scribble down every anachronism on a notepad and submit them in the "goofs" section. But judging by films I've watched, which took place during that era, I think the look was dead-on.
The film runs just a little long, and it slightly drags at points, but overall it's a feel-good romantic comedy with a good heart. There are even some good moments of mystery, which kept me intrigued. I liked the ending, which wasn't forced at all. It was an imaginative conclusion that suited the fate of the two leads, and it made me smile. Nothing like a typical Hollywood ending. This is the kind of sharp writing that existed before the film industry became a haven for money-hungry shysters. I admire Woody for continuing to make films that don't appeal to any particular demographic. This is a zestfully clean PG-13 comedy that probably won't do wonders at the box office, because there's no crude or sex-related humor, no nudity and no profanity--but Woody's an artiste and he's not about to let this explosion of gross-out comedies affect his integrity as one of our most talented writer/directors. If your IQ is in the double-digits, this probably won't be the film for you. I know (most) young people aren't used to thinking when they watch a comedy, so they may as well pass on this one and save themselves from a migraine. But for those in the mood for a fun, adult comedy--brace yourself for the Jade Scorpion. Comedies like this are becoming extinct--may as well watch as many of them as you can before they banish completely.
My score: 7 (out of 10)
For all you Woodyphiles expecting those grand Woody zingers--you won't be disappointed. One of his biggest gifts is witty dialogue. In this movie the dialogue is not only witty, but incredibly intelligent. So even if this is not the funniest movie ever, I'm certainly not going to say this is one of Woody's minor works. The chemistry--or should I say, non-chemistry--between Woody and Helen Hunt (his nemesis) is sharp. They build up a great tension--angry and sexual. I also liked the sexual innuendos between Woody and Charlize Theron, who plays the seductive Laura Kensington. Some say that Woody purposely wrote those scenes into the script so that he can have a couple of steamy scenes with the beautiful actress; I think not. The innuendos between them are very honest and she even admits at one point that she's used to strong, muscular men. Those scenes between Woody and Charlize are some of the film's funniest moments.
I'm guessing Woody used a slightly bigger budget that usual to produce this comedy, which you can consider a period piece. He really brings out a great aura of 1940's New York. Of course, I wasn't around during that time period, so I can't exactly scribble down every anachronism on a notepad and submit them in the "goofs" section. But judging by films I've watched, which took place during that era, I think the look was dead-on.
The film runs just a little long, and it slightly drags at points, but overall it's a feel-good romantic comedy with a good heart. There are even some good moments of mystery, which kept me intrigued. I liked the ending, which wasn't forced at all. It was an imaginative conclusion that suited the fate of the two leads, and it made me smile. Nothing like a typical Hollywood ending. This is the kind of sharp writing that existed before the film industry became a haven for money-hungry shysters. I admire Woody for continuing to make films that don't appeal to any particular demographic. This is a zestfully clean PG-13 comedy that probably won't do wonders at the box office, because there's no crude or sex-related humor, no nudity and no profanity--but Woody's an artiste and he's not about to let this explosion of gross-out comedies affect his integrity as one of our most talented writer/directors. If your IQ is in the double-digits, this probably won't be the film for you. I know (most) young people aren't used to thinking when they watch a comedy, so they may as well pass on this one and save themselves from a migraine. But for those in the mood for a fun, adult comedy--brace yourself for the Jade Scorpion. Comedies like this are becoming extinct--may as well watch as many of them as you can before they banish completely.
My score: 7 (out of 10)