SCARY MOVIE 4 (parody)
Cast: Cindy Campbell, Craig Bierko, Regina Hall and Leslie Nielsen
Director: David Zucker
Time: 83 mins
Rating: * * 1/2

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? This sequel is certainly not about scaring the daylights of its viewers. The producers had expanded on the horror flick theme since Scary Movie 3 and here they hit on blockbusters like Saw, The Grudge, War Of The Worlds, Brokeback Mountain, The Village and Million Dollar Baby and even The Oprah Winfrey Show.

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? The ‘main’ story follows Tom Ryan (Bierko) fleeing an alien invasion (a’la War Of The Worlds) with his two estranged children, and meeting up with healthcare worker Anna Faris (Campbell in a send-up of The Grudge). The rest are ‘stray shot’ spoofs which are more idiotic than funny. (Okay, maybe ‘idiotic’ is funny to writer-director Zucker).

HIGHLIGHTS: The ‘attack’ on President Bush during the September 11 crisis is promising but it goes overboard featuring a tasteless, nude UN session. There are some giggles when we see ‘Tom Cruise’ freaking out on Oprah’s couch, and when Shaquille O’Neal and Dr Phil go captive in the style of The Saw. Still, I like the pervading sense of irreverent fun throughout and this one is definitely more cohesive than the previous sequel.

LOWLIGHTS: There are more misses than hits but I guess Zucker and company are not worried about that. They still thrive on urine and excreta gags and the sight of Nielsen buck naked can give some people nightmares.

THE LOWDOWN? You have gotta like ‘bad’ movies and gutter comedy to go for this one!