Paul Film Review (2011)

1 hr. 40 mins.

Starring: Seth Rogan (voice only), Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jeffrey Tambor, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Jane Lynch, Sigourney Weaver, Blythe Danner, John Carroll Lynch

Directed by: Greg Mottola

MPAA Rating: NR

Critic's Rating: ** ½ stars (out of 4 stars)

Screenwriters/stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost bring their latest comic collaboration to full force in the wacky-minded and off-kilter sci-fi farce Paul. Pegg and Frost, known to audiences previously for their uproarious pairing in fruitful fare such as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, bring their bouncy British satire to West Coast USA from England to scathe the conventions of sci-fi "alien"-ation in the pithy fantasy fable Paul.

Evidently shining some ludicrous light on flesh-eating zombies or sinister villagers is not enough in the warped world of the jocular tandem of Pegg and Frost. This time the dandy duo take a smirking shot at science fiction geeks, aliens and the overall absurdity of fantasy-adventure worship that genre bigwigs Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and the late great Star Trek mastermind Gene Roddenberry would approve with giddy anticipation. Granted Paul's creative flippancy and irreverence sometimes drags with redundancy and mild sarcastic naughtiness. Nevertheless, Pegg and Frost manage to serve up the movie's loony acidity with cockeyed conviction despite some uneven lapses of hilarity.

Director Greg Mottola ("Superbad") is somewhat inspired by his computer-generated, wise-cracking E.T. wannabe named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen, "The Green Hornet")-an outer space creature whose status as an escapee from a deserted air force base after four decades of captivity is in current jeopardy. Paul is quite a character to say the least as he's unconventional in everything from his appreciation for smoking a relaxing cigarette (or pot...take your pick) to his choice in offbeat casual wardrobe.

The free-spirited Paul will eventually hook up with a visiting British novice science fiction author Clive Gollins (Nick Frost) and his buddy Graeme Willy (Simon Pegg). Both well-meaning goofballs Clive and Graeme were in San Diego for the Comic-Con event. Avid fans of anything sci-fi oriented the nerdy buddies decide to venture America's Southwest region in search of adventure in a huge RV as they tour noted spots such as random UFO sites.

Upon them picking up a hitchhiking, greenish oval-faced and bug-eyed Paul the newly formed trio now are faced with running into all sorts of peculiar personas ranging from clueless rednecks that notice how enthusiastic European geeks Clive and Graeme "talk kinda funny" to an awkward woman named Ruth Buggs (Kristen Wiig from TV's "Saturday Night Live"), a soured fundamentalist Christian type that despises evolutionists.

Interestingly, the resilient Paul becomes a reliable tour guide for the bumbling Brits as he has an unspeakable knowledge of Americans and their distinctive customs. In essence, Paul does not seem like the quintessential alien running about in the rugged outdoors of the USA's dry landscape...it is Clive and Graeme that are the obligatory aliens striving for assimilation in a strange land where their fetishism for science fiction fixation is uncontrollable.

As the thrifty threesome take in the scenery, an assortment of scientists and government officials are on the wanted tail of Paul as they seek him aggressively. Specifically, a determined agent (Jason Bateman) and his associates ("SNL's" Bill Hader and Joe Lo Truglio) are on Paul's trail as the chase ensues with foolish frivolity.

For the most part, Paul is an acquired taste for any sci-fi diehard in the mood for this genre being riddled with good-natured jabs and off-putting bits. Although Pegg and Frost are not nearly as instrumentally riotous in this film as their other fare they do wisely take a backseat to the outlandish presence of the alien hanger-on Paul who's voiced accordingly by the roguish Rogen. Side-splitting references to sci-fi cinema that include mentionable nods to Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Star Trek, and Jaws are aptly recognized. Notable cameos from the likes of filmmaker Steven Spielberg for instance are put to good wicked usage. Even instilling sci-fi veteran vixen Sigourney Weaver ("Aliens", "Avatar", "Galaxy Quest") into the rollicking mix is shrewdly exhilarating.

Clearly a razor sharp and silly-handed spoof to E.T.: The Extraterrestrial and other familiarized territory that is the sci-fi universe of impish imagination Paul is a big-eyed blowhard that is always welcomed to explore the insanity from within.