my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Community   » Film Handlers' Movie Reviews   » Drillbit Taylor

Author Topic: Drillbit Taylor Stu Jamieson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 524 From: Buccan, Qld, Australia Registered: Jan 2008 posted 03-22-2008 07:11 PM                     Set upon by a pair of bullies on their first day at high school, Wade (Nate Hartley), Ryan (Troy Gentile) and Emmit (David Dorfman) hold auditions of (alleged) security personnel for the position of a stand-over man to duly beat their tormentors to a fine pulp. They settle on self-proclaimed military badass, Drillbit Taylor (Owen Wilson), not realising that he is, in fact, an opportunistic homeless shyster. One has to wonder at what point Owen Wilson became attached to this project and whether his titular character was the original focus of the story, for while Wilson provides the star power here, his character is the least interesting aspect of the film and the movie takes a distinct dive whenever he is on screen. The charm of the picture, however, is in the three kids, particularly Nate Hartley whose geek-with-a-subtle-defiant-streak grounds the trio in a reality which completely evades Wilson's character. If Wilson's role were reduced to a perfunctory part (and the title changed) then this would be quite a charming little comedy. Co-written by Seth Rogen, the similarities to his previous Superbad are obvious (a little too much so, in fact), especially in the three juvenile leads who bear strong physical resemblances and personality traits to their counterparts in that film. The similarities are so prevalent, in fact, that Drillbit Taylor could almost be seen as a prequel to Superbad. The film combines elements from the classics, namely Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Risky Business, Revenge Of The Nerds and, most notably, My Bodyguard. In a clear nod to the latter film, Adam Baldwin riffs on his debut feature film role delivering a chuckle-worthy cameo as one of the prospective bodyguard applicants. Drillbit Taylor is a small, promising comic charmer unfortunately steamrolled by gratuitous star power. 6.5 out of 10.  |  IP: Logged Kurt Zupin Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 989 From: Maricopa, Arizona Registered: Oct 2004 posted 03-23-2008 02:21 PM                     Unlike Stu I really liked the fact that it was a PG13 version of Superbad, and I also think Wilson was great in this role. He didn't detract from from the film at all. The kids were perfectly cast, and the comedy was just right. I give this a sold 4/5 Drillbit Taylor aka. Dr.Illbit aka. Alamo Taylor aka. Bob Taylor P.S. Always remember the Army says "have it your way"  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 03-23-2008 03:16 PM                     I watched a solid 20 minutes of this when the kids first hire Drillbit and are getting their training. I did not laugh once. Not one time. I did not even crack a grin. Likewise the other 5 people in the auditorium did not laugh at all (although that guy in the back farted once which made us laugh). Owen Wilson is also amazingly annoying. I can't stand to listen to that whining coming out of his mouth every time he talks and that nose, I just want to grab it and bend it out of whack a little bit more. 1/2 stars out of 5 for what I could stand to watch. 1/2 star of that being credited to the fart.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 03-23-2008 04:21 PM                        Didn't Owen Wilson recently fail at killing himself? I bet he became depressed when he realized that he was OWEN WILSON.  |  IP: Logged Stu Jamieson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 524 From: Buccan, Qld, Australia Registered: Jan 2008 posted 03-23-2008 10:30 PM                     Has anybody else noticed that, given the right lighting conditions, Owen Wilson's noise looks like a penis?  |  IP: Logged Louis Belloisy Expert Film Handler Posts: 120 From: morris, ct usa Registered: Jun 2006 posted 03-28-2008 01:09 PM                        Another TURD. When will the suits on the left coast realize what they are doing to a fine industry. Owen Wilson is most annoying, I did not like him before he tried to kill himself and I like him less now. Out of a possible 10 on the TURD-O-METER, I give this one a solid 10 Louis  |  IP: Logged John Wilson Film God Posts: 5438 From: Sydney, Australia. Registered: Dec 1999 posted 03-28-2008 10:42 PM                     The only 10 it will ever get too. This is rated PG here. IMO it should have been M as there's too much bad stuff in it to show to an under 12.  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 03-30-2008 08:14 PM                     quote: Brad Miller I watched a solid 20 minutes of this Yea, I only made it through the 1st 20 minutes too during one of my screenings on opening day. I tried to stay longer, but I figured I could make better use of my time peeling old pieces of splicing tape off the bottom of the rewind bench or something more productive. UPDATE: The theater I'm at finally dumped this bomb last week. In the final 4 days of showings, a total of about 5 people came to see it. I threaded up the projector on Tuesday, and didn't actually run the film until Thursday afternoon- - because NOBODY (ZERO!!) showed up for to see it for two solid days . That's a total of about 9 scheduled showings. And this is in a major city. I can't remember having any other film where we went for two solid days without at least one person showing up for at least one show on a given day. [ 04-06-2008, 07:50 PM: Message edited by: Jim Cassedy ]  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.