“Lazer Team” Movie Review
Because “Lazer Team” was made by a company that prides itself in its community focused productions and YouTube content based around and upon video games, I was worried that it would try to force humor that a person previously unaware of Rooster Teeth wouldn’t get. Fortunately, that was not the case with “Lazer Team”. There were references to some of their other series as well as inside jokes, but they were either subtle enough to still remain jokes even without knowing the hidden meaning or they were located in the background as set pieces. That was one thing that I really enjoyed about the film, the jokes that only the fans would get are still funny even if the viewer hasn’t heard of Rooster Teeth.
In comedic terms, “Lazer Team” wasn’t lacking in quick one-liners or run-on jokes. The majority of quips between characters were pretty funny, but some of the background jokes seem a little too childish. Unfortunately, “Lazer Team” is yet another film that isn’t an exception to the Hollywood belief that people vomiting violently can be funny. It is indeed not, yet there are two scenes in the span of ten minutes where it occurs. Seriously, this is not funny! I don’t want to be grossed out when I go to see a comedy.
For what “Lazer Team” got wrong it quickly made up in the movie’s news segments. Throughout the film, there are short news broadcasts that are inserted to inform the viewer of how the public is reacting to the events of the movie. Although it is a rather cliché way of adding exposition, it gives them a clever opportunity to show celebrity cameos like Jimmy Fallon, Ed Robertson, and Neil deGrasse Tyson, and at the same time show the ability to add some comedy into an otherwise dull news broadcast.
Similar to the comedy, the characters of “Lazer Team” have their moments, but they aren’t short on downfalls or clichés. The movie’s characters are justified in their actions and their actions have meaning that the viewer can relate to, yet they aren’t detrimental to the story. You could take any one of the four protagonists and replace him with a different type of character and the story, as well as the ending, would be relatively the same. They are essentially a useless band of underdogs that hate one another and can’t work together that are forced to team up against a common enemy. Towards the end of the movie, the heroes don’t complete their mission quick enough so that government officials are satisfied, so of course they want to nuke the enemy. The clichés just go on and on. To add more salt to the wound, the antagonist in this film isn’t well developed at all; for example, it sends down robot bugs to possess people and do its evil bidding, which feels forced and is just there to provide the movie’s action.
“Lazer Team” may be a low-budget science fiction movie that is predictable at every major plot point; but, in all honesty, I don’t go to see a comedy to be wowed by the in-depth story or the immersive plot. I go to laugh and have a good time. “Lazer Team” definitely delivered on that front. Even though some of the humor was childish and cheesy, the majority of it was hysterical. Also, the relationships between characters were funny and entertaining to watch. Despite all of its flaws, it was just a good time. For this, I would have to rate the film a 6.5/10. It wasn’t the best of films, but it does a good job at being what it is – a comedy.
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