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Make a Run for the Gringo Border

Delta Farce / Agent Bedhead

Oh, hell. Before I begin the generally lofty conversation of a film review, let me tell you what you already know about Delta Farce. This so-called movie was composed of 90 minutes of arbitrary footage and dialogue that obviously has no justification for existing, aside from drawing in the redneck audience of Larry the Cable Guy. With that said, I will verify that Dustin was correct when he said I would wish for another breakdancing flick in my future. In the opening sequences of Delta Farce, we are expected to feel poorly for nice guy restaurateur Larry, whose Denise Richards-lookalike girlfriend (Christina Moore) tells him she is pregnant. A thoroughly excited Larry announces to his diners that he is going to be a father and immediately drops down on one knee and utters that terribly misguided question. Girlfriend is exasperated at this point and sticks her face into the loudspeaker to tell Larry he is not the father. Larry immediately insults a customer and gets his ass fired; discriminating viewers will shudder concerning the vague similarities to Stripes’ opening moments. The thing is, this ain’t no Stripes, and since the concept of allusion is entirely lost on this movie, Bill Murray fans will find relief that at least one shallow grave was left undisturbed.

Larry’s good buddies Bill (Bill Engvall) and Everett (DJ Qualls) complete the misogynistic circle. Bill is a career litigation plaintiff who lives from lawsuit to lawsuit out of his trailer park home, and he just doesn’t understand why his wife keeps bitching at him to mow the lawn. Similarly, Everett lives in a storage unit where he works the security shift between frequent stints of flashing his wang at the female clientele at the nearby Denny’s. All three believe that women exist either to nag men to death or cheat on their well-meaning yet utterly revolting boyfriends. These guys are representative of the lowest common denominator of non-felonious American men: They’re racist, and homophobic to boot, but at least they’re pretty fucking harmless, out of sheer laziness and ineptitude at any process more complicated than popping open a beer can. Their weekend stints with the Army Reserves involve tossing shit up in the air and shooting it, interrupted only by extended lunch breaks at Hooters and conversations about irritable bowel syndrome. Due to an imminent military shortage in Fallujah, these guys are accidentally deployed to Iraq by the stereotypical militant black Sergeant Kilgore (Keith David). Somehow, Larry, his buddies, and Kilgore end up getting dumped in what they believe is Iraq but is really desert area 500 miles outside of Mexico. Kilgore is mercifully knocked out and buried in a shallow grave, and the three fools set off to mistake Mexican people for Iraqi citizens by repeating the same joke: “Are you a Turd or a Shitite?” Somehow, a village gets liberated in the process, not that it matters.

Danny Trejo (star of the Machete faux-trailer in Grindhouse), who of recent years has proven himself to be a sort of Mexican-American Christopher Walken, stands out as the only celluloid flicker in the entire miserable film. Trejo helms a troupe of banditos as the evil yet unfortunately named Carlos Santana, who takes pleasure in karaoke in his spare time, and watching Machete belt out Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” was pretty fucking funny. The juxtaposition of Trejo’s prototypical badass with his take on a Delta Farce character serves as evidence of his clever artistry, but his limited screen time only makes the other characters’ flatulence and urination jokes even more insufferable. Their dialogue is largely made up of “git ‘er done” variants and ineffective jokes that aren’t amusing the first time, let alone in repetition. One wonders how many times the phrase, “Don’t ask, don’t tell” can be crammed into 90 minutes, and the answer is far too many. In fact, I’m pretty sure that the script was written on a roll of Bounty paper towels in dry-erase marker and reused when convenient.

Throughout it all, the endless bigoted streaks are tempered by ill-advised attempts at humor, and these themes dissolve fairly easily because of the filmmaker’s desire not to truly offend someone. It all passes off as pure idiocy, which breeds a mutant soup of politically correct racism and homophobia, but it’s harmless because, hey, these guys are mongoloids and candyasses. The characters are seemingly inept at everything they do and even incapable of offending audience members, which would at least be an accomplishment of some sort. This brings me to my major problem with Delta Farce — if studios are going to spend millions making mindless drivel that doesn’t even entertain in the slightest, then the least they can do is give me something to grab onto (besides Larry’s love handles) that will really piss me off. Otherwise, frustration abounds, because here I sit, infuriated about absolutely nothing other than the waste of audience time and money and the fact that films like this are allowed to exist, while more credible directors are busting their asses unnoticed out in the ether.

The flick somehow ends with a dedication to the men and women of America’s armed forces, and considering the film wasn’t complimentary in the slightest regard, this doesn’t make a lick of sense. Whatever one’s politics are concerning Iraq, it’s impossible to deny the hard work and dedication of the actual soldiers who do serve our country. So after an hour and a half of an amateurish and ineffectual storyline that presents soldiers as complete idiots, the consolation of “Oops, we really didn’t mean it” is supposed to wash all that desert dust away? It really all feels a lot more like a camouflaged rim job.

Agent Bedhead lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and tries to avoid reality at all costs. She also insults pop culture daily at agentbedhead.com.


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Comments

Hmmm...sounds like someone should take all copies of this film, throw them into the air and shoot them.

Posted by: some guy at May 13, 2007 9:03 AM

What was the secret message scattered throughout the report. As we supposed to decode the letters or rearrange the words? It almosts seems like you were taken as a POW while watching this show, and tried to ask for help anyway you could. If this is the case, blink twice...or type help.

Posted by: Daisy at May 13, 2007 9:16 AM

Oh, Agent Bedhead.

...Is this, like, some kind of Pajiba hazing ritual? Or are the boys just picking on you to see if they can make you cry?

My heart goes out, it really does. Hang in there.

Posted by: Jerce at May 13, 2007 9:51 AM

Christina Moore doesn't look anything like Denise Richards! Her boobs are nowhere NEAR as big.

Posted by: Gordon at May 13, 2007 10:26 AM

All I could think when of when I saw the preview for this bit of excrement was, "which poor pajiban is going to have to watch this crap?"
Now I know. My sympathies Agent Bedhead. I think you're allowed to smack someone for making you watchi it!

Posted by: Trixie at May 13, 2007 10:48 AM

Wow, such a review takes courage and determination and you have managed to watch such a crappy film you REALLY didn't want to see just so you could make us fellow Pajibans smile.
I fully support your review on such a terrible abortion of a film.

Wait a second . . . who said I didn't want to see this film? Oh wait. Look at me . . . I've got italics, baby! - AB

Posted by: Ben at May 13, 2007 1:30 PM

Trixie, I thought that same thing as I was shaking my head in the theater waiting to see Hot Fuzz. Some drunk college boys were laughing hysterically at the preview, yelling "git 'er done!" and whatnot, and I just wanted to weep.

Posted by: Brianne at May 13, 2007 3:18 PM

Okay, sorry for this, but in the second paragraph don't you mean "...desert area 500 miles outside Mexico City"? Wouldn't 500 miles outside Mexico be, you know, another country?

Of course, I'm happy to say I don't know enough about this movie to know where it purports to take place.

Duly noted, but it's also strange that a military aircraft would fly over Mexico on the way to Iraq. At a certain point, I had to rule out common sensical geography while watching this movie. - AB

Posted by: KRK at May 14, 2007 3:16 AM

I know exactly what you're talking about Brianne - I had the same experience when I went to see Hot Fuzz - only the trailer was for Norbit. I was leaning over to my companion (so that I could explain how it looked like the film summed up everything wrong with humanity and that the only way I could possibly excuse its exsistance was if it was acting as an early indicator of the apocalypse) when I realised that literally every other person in the theatre was howling with mirth. A little part of my soul died at that moment.


Oh yeah, I'm never seeing this movie. I'm praying with all my might that it never reaches the UK.

Posted by: Alex the Odd at May 14, 2007 4:52 AM

This is the second review of yours I have read. This is the second one that sucked, was worthless, was badly written and contain between nil and zero insights or original thoughts.

Go back to lame commentary on celebs, this review has to be a worse piece of work than the movie you seem to be describing.

Posted by: ae at May 14, 2007 8:48 AM

ae, did we just read the same review? O.o


Well, I enjoyed it. Far more than I would have possibly enjoyed even this movie's trailer. I really, really pity you, Agent Bedhead.

Posted by: kittykate at May 14, 2007 10:51 AM

Oh, ae. When life gives you lemons, it's not always easy to make lemonade.

I thought Agent B's review was just fine, given the material she had to work with; and for the record, I thought your review of her review was mean-spirited, unjustified, and poorly written.

Posted by: MO at May 14, 2007 10:58 AM

Last time i checked, noting the fact that the same 3 jokes repeated over and over ad-nauseaum, pointing out characters that represent the lowest common denominator (as do their audience), and noting that a film has NO redeaming value at all was a damn FINE way to review a picture. Call me crazy though.

Who knows, maybe AB was too polysyllablic for you AE? Hmmm...maybe if someone were standing in front of you jingling something shiny while you read, it would have made more sense.

And lastly...what kind of DOUCHEBAG comes to a movie review website and critiques the critic? If you're opinion actually mattered for a shit, i swear that paradox would cause the universe to fold in on itself...and if not that you would at least look like a humongously self-centered asshole.

Go back to editing you Star Wars fan film, read your AICN breaking news!, and allow the rest of us to come here for what we want...good reviews. Talkbackon that....

bitch.

Oh...and BTW...good review AB. Fuck this movie.

Posted by: PissBoy at May 14, 2007 12:56 PM

...when life gives me lemons I throw them at people like ae.

Posted by: PissBoy at May 14, 2007 12:57 PM

I started to post a retort to ae's asinine comment, but I knew that someone like TK, PissBoy, or Manny would come along and eviscerate ae much more eloquently than I could. So pleased that I was not let down.

Posted by: stardust savant at May 14, 2007 1:19 PM

PissBoy: Hahaha! Well said all around. (and boy, do I feel like a douchebag for critiquing the critique of the critic...oh, my head hurts...)

Posted by: MO at May 14, 2007 2:10 PM

I say, Bravo Agent Bedhead! A great review. I have been waiting to comment on your work, and with this one find your work to be most in-sync with the Pajiba standard. And I have not yet offered this leaf to Mr. Williams, as fine as his work may be. Again, a bravo and huzzah! I trust you enjoy your place amongst the Pajiba Pantheon! Cheers!!!!!!

Posted by: Jere at May 14, 2007 8:20 PM

"what kind of asshole..." etc.


That's the beauty of the net. Ignorant, talentless mediocrities like Agent Bedhead can kiss up to a site owner with traffic, and get the enormous prestige enabling it write unfunny, inept, unnecessary and worthless reviews (see, I can be as redundant as she!), and also beautifully, I can post saying "hey sycophants, the emperor has no clothes", sit back after ringing the Pavlovian bell of dissing the queen of you no-getting-laid webmonkeys and read and enjoy as suck-ups like you and your buddies can attempt to defend a talentless hack with no depth, no educated frame of reference nor, what is most important, entertainment value, with your mouths afoam. "Mebbe if I 'eviserate' her savagely enough bedhead will notice me! Oh please, god, let her notice me!".

And yes I came back just to enjoy you mouth-breathers defending your imaginary 'net gf against anyone who has the gall to point out that her one-liners about Brit were as cogent as these "reviews" she persists in posting. You'd think you were all personally and literally getting sucked off by the agent instead of just having her suck at writing.

But I guess the quality of the review matched the quality of the movie the bedhead reviewed, so we have achieved symmetry, at least.

Now ab, sooth your widdle bootlicks' shattered sensibilities and untwist their panties. They seem pretty upset. Agent Bedhead's fannies read like agent bedwetters. Or, as rednecks like the ones in her latest screed might say of the review, she sure shit the bed.

Agent Bedshit. I like it.

Posted by: ae at May 15, 2007 3:40 AM

It's a shame you appear to be so angry ae, you actually seem fairly amusing.

Why are you so very, very upset?

I'd agree that it took Agent Bedhead a little while to find her feet but I don't think her review was anywhere near bad enough to warrant the response she got from you. Is there perhaps some kind of deep seated issue that you need to address concerning gossip bloggers? Are you channeling severe emotional pain relating to the male population of the internet? Should we perhaps consider organising a fundraiser?

I only ask so that I can understand you better. There seems to be quite a lot of hatred towards people you've never met before which in my limited experience doesn't exactly class as healthy.

I recommend deep cleansing breaths.

Posted by: Alex the Odd at May 15, 2007 5:05 AM

Wow! ...AE ...Man! You got us. I mean, what can I say? You certainly proved you superiority with the opposite sex...with your witty barbs against the no-getting-laid webmonk...err...wait a minute...WTF are you doing posting comment responses at 3:40am? Someone with as scintillating a sex life as your should be in the middles of the flesh totem at 3:40am while some hot piece of ass screams your name, but I'm completely sure that has to happen for you on EVERY other night of the week. just not this one right? Right.

No wait! I've got it. You took all your day using a thesaurus to use the biggest words you could find so that MY previous attack seems completely unfounded. Kudos to you AE. Kudos. Now i don't want to read too much into your attack but I'm willing to bet I can NAIL down who you are in about 4 sentences. First (and we'll start a little earlier in life just to make sure we get to the root cause of your sandy vagina)...you started drinking coffee at entirely too early an age, paying upwards of $3 for your grand-latte cup of make-me-an-asshole, often spending your time (apart from your aforementioned sexual exploits of course) sitting in a Denny's late at night writing emotional, painfully simple songs about the boy/girl who, yesterday, broke your heart. but you never got to tell him/her how you truly felt because you dropped your trapper keeper in a puddle and his/her phone number washed off the front. You moved on to college (not a large one, but not community) where you always made your Philosophy class seem more important than it was, and would repeat relentlessly whatever nuggets of information you managed to soak up, to your friends each and every friday night in a new Denny's in this new college town. (Those Fridays when you were, of course, not out filling your personal memoirs that would read like a 'Dear Penthouse Forum' letter). Then...within the last couple years you got out of school and had to find a real job because your Indy-Zine failed to take off, which is OK because your back-up job as a giggalo is just enough to get you by, while you look down on the rest of us pleebs with your amazing vocabulary and commanding libido.

What's that? NO, you say? Well then you're just a fucking asshole who needs to take at least one moment every day to try and feel better about yourself by trying to prove how much more intelligent you are...and of course YOU NAIL ALL DA PUSSY YOU WANT! So, yeah, congrats on all that and be sure to let us know how much you rule, but keep it wrought with wit, m'kay? And oh yeah...go fuck yourself.

Posted by: PissBoy at May 15, 2007 9:01 AM

...and yes I said sandy vagina. Flashback humor is funny.

Posted by: PissBoy at May 15, 2007 9:03 AM

Thank you for pointing out the homophobic overtones that are required for these kinds of movies today. Just like Wild Hogs, this is another movie that will earn far more money than it deserves, which would in fact be whatever monetary equivalent there is to a big steaming pile of...well, you get it.

As a side note, imagine if all of the money used to create this movie and spent by the happless viewers were rerouted into, oh I don't know, education or America's infastructure. I think that representation of waste is all the more depressing.

Posted by: BLA at May 15, 2007 11:04 AM

So AE-
If you're so let down by this review, then by all means, post your much better written one on here and let us all evaluate it for you. Hello? AE? Are you still there? Step up to the plate, my friend.

Posted by: Helcat at May 15, 2007 11:52 AM

Wow...you guys put in way more effort than the comment section of any review of any Larry the Cable Guy vehicle deserves.

Posted by: Justin at May 17, 2007 1:35 AM

I have to say, the comments section has been far more enjoyable than the actual review.

A little web combat is always fun...

Posted by: nandotox at May 21, 2007 11:01 PM

I agree- I thought the movie was funny as hell!

Posted by: capt wild bill at June 12, 2007 5:38 PM