Movie Review: Delta Farce

Let me start this with a question, has anyone who has seen this movie actually thought it was funny? I was not expecting anything that great, heck, I wasn't even expecting it to be good. All I really hoped for was that it provided at least a couple of chuckles, I mean even Larry the Cable Guy, Health Inspector offered a couple of laughs. I sat there waiting, waiting for anything that would put the slightest smile on my face, but it never came. The second run theater screening I attended began with eight people in attendance, by the time the credits rolled, only two remained.

The story is simple. Larry (Larry the Cable Guy), Bill (Bill Engvall), and Everett (DJ Qualls) are weekend warriors. They are Army reservists who are more than happy to put in their one weekend a month. A weekend that they put to good use, making it a point to have a good time away from their wives, and the problems of their every day lives. This weekend the war in Iraq has different plans for them. The nearby fulltime base gets orders to send more troops, so the General in charge of the base sends their most hardcore seargeant, Sgt Kilgore (Keith David), to rally the reservists and get them ready to go to Falujah, Iraq. Much comedy ensues.

The farce of the title comes in as the transport to Iraq is forced to dump the gear early. This deposits our hapless trio in the middle of the desert that they automatically assume is Iraq. They head off to do their duty and bring democracy to the natives. Their adventure leads them into a confrontation with a local gang of bandits that are terrorizing a small Mexican village. Oh yeah, what they thought was Iraq is actually Mexico, that's the joke. Ha ha. The bandits are led by the best guy in this mess, Danny Trejo, playing Carlos Santana. Get it? That's another gag that is played for all its worth, all two cents worth.

That is pretty much it. The guys land in Mexico, think its Iraq, and get involved in a local conflict. Oh yes, there is the romantic interest for Larry, Maria Garcia (played by 24's lovely Marisol Nichols). How could I forget about Larry's love interest. It's like tossing the absurd on top of the farce and stretching the suspension of disbelief well past the breaking point.

I am not sure that anything could be said in defense of this mess. It is just not funny, at all. Larry and Engvall both have stand up that has its share of laughs, but they really cannot play leads in a movie. I am willing to give Bill Engvall a pass as he doesn't really do all that much here. Larry, on the other hand, this is your second movie in a year, your first had a couple of chuckles, but was not good, this one is worse. You need to realize that your stand-up shtick does not translate well to a narrative film.

I think I could muster up some good words for Danny Trejo and Keith David. The two of them have the best moments, and clearly bring a little something extra to the pile that is this flick. Danny Trejo is entertaining in whatever he does, he is physically imposing, but can brighten a room when he smiles, it is the strangest thing. Keith David has nice comic timing and knows that he's in a stinker and has a bit of fun with it.

Bottomline. Ahh, I've already spent too much time on this....

Not Recommended.