Cards on the table: I'm a bit of a Tenacious D fan. I have the album and I loved the series of TV shorts. If you don't know who they are, Tenacious D (or just "the D") is the rock band which comprises Jack Black and his buddy Kyle Gass. In the TV show, as in this movie, they are not playing themselves but two characters with the same names. The screen versions of JB and KG are wannabe rock musicians whose sense of self-worth vastly outweighs their actual talent. This film tells the story of their meeting and the formation of the band, as well as their quest for the fabled "pick of destiny", a magical plectrum which grants the possessor the abilities of a rock legend.
Many will be familiar with Jack Black from his role in The School Of Rock, and there are similarities here. School of Rock was almost a watered-down version of Tenacious D, with the language toned down for a younger audience. In Pick Of Destiny, both Black and Gass "let the F-bombs fly" and the result is mostly successful. The characters are amusing and the movie is stylishly presented, but I found myself wanting more.
Tenacious D are most amusing when they're actually performing. For too long in this movie, they are simply a couple of fat blokes in an apartment, arguing. I would have preferred more songs and less banter. I would even have been happy for them to reprise some of the songs from the album, but as it stands the movie takes too long to get going and the real funny moments are too far apart. There are cameos by Tim Robbins and Ben Stiller, but these rely too much on silly wigs to add much to the proceedings.
I found myself wondering whether the concept of Tenacious D was enough to support a whole movie, but consider this: if Bill and Ted had enough mileage for two successful films, The D should have been able to fill one.
Many will be familiar with Jack Black from his role in The School Of Rock, and there are similarities here. School of Rock was almost a watered-down version of Tenacious D, with the language toned down for a younger audience. In Pick Of Destiny, both Black and Gass "let the F-bombs fly" and the result is mostly successful. The characters are amusing and the movie is stylishly presented, but I found myself wanting more.
Tenacious D are most amusing when they're actually performing. For too long in this movie, they are simply a couple of fat blokes in an apartment, arguing. I would have preferred more songs and less banter. I would even have been happy for them to reprise some of the songs from the album, but as it stands the movie takes too long to get going and the real funny moments are too far apart. There are cameos by Tim Robbins and Ben Stiller, but these rely too much on silly wigs to add much to the proceedings.
I found myself wondering whether the concept of Tenacious D was enough to support a whole movie, but consider this: if Bill and Ted had enough mileage for two successful films, The D should have been able to fill one.