With so many great comics – Jack Black, Michael Cera, Paul Rudd, Hank Azaria, Harold Ramis – putting their heads together to make Year One, you’d expect it to be a singular pleasure.
Sadly, this biblical comedy is less than the sum of its parts due to a lame script that’s depressingly low on genuinely funny moments.
This despite a premise that has a lot of comedic potential.
Lambasted for being rubbish at hunting and gathering, cavemen Zed (Black) and Oh (Cera) head out into the unknown to start a new life.
Their bumbling trip brings them into contact with a series of Old Testament figures including knife-happy Abraham (Azaria) and his son Isaac (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), as well as bickering brothers Cain (David Cross) and Abel (Rudd).
But what should have been one of the sharpest religious satires since Life Of Brian turns out to be rather toothless.
With director Ramis clearly afraid of offending the Bible brigade in America, the film takes the low-brow route and resorts to brainless scatological humour.
Year One is ultimately a waste of top talent.
Good for: Those who get a kick out of watching a man eat shit.
PIERRE DE VILLIERS
