Back to Year One
by Cheryl C. Ong
In the biblical comedy Year One, Jack Black and the rest of the cast manage to deliver some laughs, but that’s about it.
The plot follows the adventures of two primitive hunter-gatherers, Zed (Jack Black, Tropic Thunder) and Oh (Michael Cera, Juno). After Zed’s attempt to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, both are banished from their tribe.
Director and co-writer Harold Ramis (Atlanta) tries to shape Year One into something worth watching by incorporating into it as much comedy as possible, but at some points in the movie, he fails.
Though the plot is nothing more than a parody out of biblical events, the first quarter of the movie is marked by comedic inconsistencies. As much as the starting few minutes are able to spark the audience’s interest, the scenes that follow fail to carry on the charm.
Zed and Oh’s recent banishment from their tribe just doesn’t work for comedy. The jokes weren’t delivered well, especially when Oh acts too much like a superego.
As the movie progresses into its second half, however, Zed and Oh’s journeys become more exciting. The story no longer revolves around their adventures within the woods but depicts their lives in Sodom and their struggle to save their love interests from slavery. There’s more action and comedy involved, like when Zed goes through a chain of accidents in trying to stop a virgin sacrifice.
Much of the credit goes to Jack Black, who is the core of the film’s comedy. Throughout the film, his portrayal of an idiotic caveman never fails to amuse.
From dopey advice that usually gets Oh into trouble to his self-introduction, Black portrays Zed with such an energy that makes him the character most worth watching in the movie.
Michael Cera, on the other hand, delivers more of a vapid performance. His lack of facial expressions and the constant flatness in his voice hinders the full-blown effect of his one-liners.
The two clearly complement each other when delivering jokes. Black, with his comedic timing and facial expressions, covers up for Cera’s blunt emotions while Cera fills in for most of the spoken humor.
Because of its inconsistency, Year One is highlighted by some humor in several of the one-liners, but it isn’t enough to be considered hilarious.
Rating: 2½ out of 5 G’s
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