What happens when a galactic superiority decides to give a random human being the powers to do absolutely anything, as a test, to see if he's ready to become part of their clique of universal rulers, and that random someone happens to be Simon Pegg?
Well, a random character played by Simon Pegg, as well as the stereotype of the characters Simon Pegg usually plays (a very ordinary-looking, somewhat awkward and clumsy English guy).
Pegg's character is Neil, who is madly in love with Catherine, who is played by Kate Beckinsale. Romantic comedy? Yes... sort of.
There's also Ray, who turns from a random co-collaborator to a real ray of hope as the movie plot thickens, and a dog who can talk (voiced by Robin Williams!), and lots of special effects (props on the alien glow in particular) and humorous happenings thereof.
Also there's a bad guy (I'm not as fond of him), and the imminent destruction of Earth does this unknowing random main character fail to meet the expectations of this particular galactic elite.
The Chief is voiced by John Cleese too! JSYK. Great cast.
It's pretty wacky. It's wacky but also surprisingly ordinary: a love story with a tinge of sci-fi, predictable as a whole but not in all details, and though I really enjoyed it all the way through I also feel like it could've been more, and I wonder if Pegg really was the ultimate choice for his role. Looking back at Jim Carrey as Bruce Almighty, with the powers of God upon him bestowed, simple a scenario as that was, this all seems somewhat... tame.
I do like the sci-fi twist compared to the more traditional predecessor, but surely there could've been more to it too. I'm thinking depth. The excitement doesn't lie so much in the jokes, or the events, as in how they're angled. How they make the characters feel. How serious the imminent destruction of Earth is made to seem (and it never really seems that serious... even at the end).
Wonder what would've become of it had this been part of the Cornetto trilogy, or just a separate piece by that by now infamous director duo (Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright)? As it is it's good, but... implicit in its simplicity. Not exciting enough? Simple entertainment with creative flare.
rated 3/5: not bad
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