Release Date: August 29, 2007 Studio: Rogue MPAA Rating: PG-13 Genre: Comedy Director: Robert Ben Garant Writers: Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant Cast: Dan Fogler, Christopher Walken, James Hong, and Thomas Lennon Synopsis: In the unsanctioned, underground, and unhinged world of extreme Ping-Pong, the competition is brutal and the stakes are deadly. Now, this outrageous new comedy serves up this secret world for the first time on-screen. Down-and-out former professional Ping-Pong phenom Randy Daytona (Dan Fogler) is sucked into this maelstrom when FBI Agent Rodriguez (George Lopez) recruits him for a secret mission. Randy is determined to bounce back and recapture his former glory, and to smoke out his father's (Robert Patrick) killer - one of the FBI's Most Wanted, arch-fiend Feng (Christopher Walken). But, after two decades out of the game, Randy can't turn his life around and avenge his father's murder without a team of his own. He calls upon the spiritual guidance of blind Ping-Pong sage and restaurateur Wong (James Hong), and the training expertise of Master Wong's wildly sexy niece Maggie (Maggie Q), both of whom also have a dark history with Feng. All roads lead to Feng's mysterious jungle compound and the most unique Ping-Pong tournaments ever staged. There, Randy faces such formidable players as his long-ago Olympics opponent, the still-vicious Karl Wolfschtagg (Thomas Lennon). Can Randy keep his eye on the ball? Will he achieve the redemption he craves while wielding a paddle? Is his backhand strong enough to triumph over rampant wickedness? The Review: You're Critics for the Evening: Deez, M, and Mrs Deez
Deez, Mrs. Deez and the Mighty M get into a threeway... (review, you sickos!) As they take in some balls to the wall comedy in "Balls of Fury
DEEZ: FINALLY, a comedy with balls (ok, balls is a cheap start, but I had to take it)!! Seriously, I laughed my balls off (I'm sorry... I'll stop now)!
This movie shot to the center of my radar after the 'Balls of Fury' panel at Comic-Con. Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon of Reno 911, Dan Fogler (you may not know him yet - but you will), and James Hong (Dude... he was LO PAN, `nuff said!) were, by far, the funniest thing at comic-con; and if that was any indication - then this movie would rock my Balls off (sorry... last time!). So, I did go into this movie with some pretty high expectations.
I left having laughed harder in the span of 90 minutes than I had in a loonng time! This movie is F-ing hysterical!!!
('BALLS' counter: 5)
M: He won't stop playing with the Balls comments, I assure you; we don't call him Dirty Deez for nothin... besides, if he does, I'll just pick up the balls and run with them (enjoy the mental image). Ditto and a half on the comic-con assessment; those guys just tore it up, and even though it was largely pre-planned, they really came to play. The response from comic-con was so great they pushed up the release date out of fan confidence, slowly proving my theory that the geek will inherit the earth...but that's for another time.. this year comedy rules the multi-plex. I cannot recall another year where so many comedies kicked so much ass.
The best lesson learned this year seems to be 'don't buy the film if the trailer gives it all for free'. How many movies have you seen where all the good stuff was already drilled into your brain through endless trailers and ads? Bet it's quite a few, and it's one of my biggest pet peevs. Well, it seems Hollywood is slowly figuring out that bad word of mouth in the high speed internet world can kill a film, and nothing hurts worse than the phrase 'If you've seen the trailer, you've seen everything you need'. That said, the laughs are balls deep in this movie; for every chuckle in the trailer, at least 4 more await you on screen.
('BALLS' counter: 8!)
Mrs. Deez: I Heart Balls.
Like Deez & M, I couldn't wait to see this, and wasn't disappointed. I'm a huge fan of Most Of Garant & Lennon's work, and their wit combined with the premise (martial arts / ping pong comedy) was kind of a guaranteed win to start with... then they had the genius to cast Walken & Fogler.
Walken is funny in the way only a man who has frightened children for decades before turning to comedy can be (why did this not work for De Niro? Talk amongst yourselves); his Kim Jong-Il-esque turn as flamboyant criminal / ping-pong fanatic would have been ridiculous in any other hands, but made me laugh embarrassingly loud over & over.
Fogler immediately matches Walken's comedic mastery; his physical comedy alone was more than equal to the writing. My personal favorite moment in the movie: Randy Daytona's (Fogler) reaction to touching a tracking device previously hidden somewhere on George Lopez' body. You'll have to watch it to understand, but trust me - priceless.
A couple of moments dragged; Daytona's love interest (Maggie Q as Maggie Wong) was a waste, and should have either been developed more (i.e. had a reason to go from icy to skanky slutty in love with Daytona), or done away with completely. The criminal work being done in Walken's Lair was an afterthought, also needing a little oomph to hold up to the rest of the script.
('BALLS' counter: 9!)
DEEZ: I do have to say this about the script... good, but not great - the premise (comedy surrounding intrigue in a forum that has zero intrigue - with plenty of ball-related humor) has been done to death. Most of the gags (on the page) are groaners. Simply, If I had read the script (a-la one of Mr.E's excellent script reviews - found only on IESB.net), I would have been ready for this movie to "suck balls"
This movie's success is in the brilliant comedic direction of Deputy Junior (Robert Ben Garant) and the flawless performances of the stars (with the noted exception of George Lopez- the man is just not funny, never really has been) ... Walken is just the f-ing man!! James Hong just kicks balls as the blind ping-pong master- (sure the blind jokes started to stretch a little thin, but my happy ass was still laughing). Thomas Lennon and Terry Crews both provide their fair share of laughs (With Lennon still showcasing his penchant for ball-hugging shorts, a-la Lt. Jim Dangle). But the real revelation here is Tony Award winning Dan Fogler; this dude is a physical comic GENIUS!!!! There wasn't a single thing he did on screen that didn't have me laughing my balls off, especially when he kept getting kicked in the balls by a 12 year old girl (OK... that wasn't the funniest thing, but it provided yet another opportunity to say BALLS!!!). This is his first major film role, but, with upcoming starring roles in 'Good Luck Chuck' and 'Fanboys'- expect to hear A LOT from this guy!!!
All-in all, I give this movie 4.5 (balls) out of 5!!!
('BALLS' counter: 15!!!)
M: The gags are pretty thin and juvenile, but unlike other concept comedies (and this is one to be sure), it doesn't rely on them for all the laughs. I have a theory that the Maggie Q love story was added after she was cast because I know if I was Dan Fogler, I'd take a pay cut to have her climbing all over me...or perhaps she lost a bet...who knows. So sure, while they had plenty of ball hitting gags (enjoy that mental image as well) and ran the blind guy schtick into the ground they still kept to the premise and delivered the goods in other places.
Walken is supreme as the guy you are scared NOT to laugh at, the guy can deliver menace and creepy charm all with the same smile, for the life of me I cannot image why there's not a continental movie in the works...ok maybe that would be just too creepy... Balls of Fury 's only real weak link is George Lopez; a Scarface impression? Really? Shoving stuff in your rectum and a bad impression is all he could bring to this picture? So sad; I'm guessing regular cohort Paul Rudd was unavailable (DRAT!).
If you look really hard you can see a glimpse of Brandon "Shazzam!" Molale in a cameo, along with Diedrich Bader and sexual harassment panda. What this movie needs is a double feature at the drive-in with Superbad and you'd be all set for a kick ass Friday night.
All we need next is a copy of that Balls of Fury Wii game coming out to land on my doorstep (HINT) and we can rock out to Def Lep and learn the deadly arts of Ping Pong.
("Balls" Counter: 18!!!)
MRS. DEEZ: All in all, one of the most quotable scripts since Zoolander ('nope, Panda's dead'), and some of the best physical comedy combined with laugh out loud moments I've seen in a while. Well worth a rare night out. Oh, and the ping-pong was cool too!
(Final 'BALLS' counter: 19!!!)
DEEZ: So, go see this flick and prepare to Rock out with your 'Balls' out!!!!
(.... make that 20!!!! hehe)
With a movie like Balls of Fury you have to wonder; what would the sequel be called? Ok maybe you didn't wonder about it but Deez and M did and the results of that quest are here for your viewing pleasure:
Possible Sequel Titles:
Two Balls Two Furious
Live Fast Ball Hard
Balls of Fury 2: Dark Territory
Balls of Fury 2: Going South
Eternal Sunshine of the spotless Ball
Balls of Fury Rise of the Silver Paddle
Two Balls A Paddle and a Ping Pong Palour
Balls of Fury 2: State of the table
Dial B for Balls
Balls of Fury: In your face (in 3-D)
You Only Feng Twice
Balls of Fury: Randy Daytona And The Craddle of Pong
King Pong or King Pong Balls
For a few Paddles more
The PongFeng Redemption
Pong Fiction
Lord of the Pong: Fellowship of the Paddles
Lord of the Pong: The Two Tables
Lord of the Pong: The Return of Daytona
Dr Fenglove or: How I learn to stop worrying about the net and love the pong
Ping Club
Mr. Daytona Goes to Washington
Balls of Fury 2: Electric Pongaloo
Randy Daytona and the Temple of Balls
Balls of Fury 2... Dodgeball 0 Balls of Fury:
The Wrath of Feng Balls of Fury:
The Two Paddles (which would be Followed by Balls of Fury: The Return of the Feng)
Balls of Fury: Ball Furiously..er
Balls of Fury 2: Balls in Paradise
Balls of Fury 2: Book of Paddles The Dark Balls
The Dragon Strikes Back Rating:
