USA 2004
Director: Jay Chandrasekhar
Score: ***

Broken Lizard is a comedy group comprised of director Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter and Erik Stolkanske.  Their first outing, the 2001 Super Troopers proved that placing oneself in an infantile state of mind allows one to enjoy certain hilarity in all the group’s silliness.  But at least there are no fart, puke or ***censored*** jokes.

Broken Lizard’s new venture is Pleasure Island, where vacationers visit, cut off from all connections to the outside world.  Which is all perfectly fine unless some killer maniac is let loose and starts doing away with the club organizers (played by Broken Lizard).  That is as far as the storyline goes.

Bill Paxton, who takes over the celebrity role from straight actor Brian Cox in Super Troopers provides more hamming up than laughs.  The troupe, playing roles like Dave: DJ and drugs, Sam: Fun Police get their bit in for the fun. The takes on slasher movies (the numerous false alarms; the stupid having sex being the first to go; no matter where you run, the killer always appears and finally the slasher having to be killed at least three times) are taken to the hilt.

Broken Lizard reminds one of the old British—Carry On series.  The Carry On films were crude, silly, not particularly funny nor well made but a new one pops up every year.  And I have seen every single one of them.

Review by Gilbert Seah.