Loaded Weapon 1
I guess the full title of this film is National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1. I could never really figure out what the connection was between the different films with the "National Lampoon's" prefix was, but I just looked it up and realized it's just the name of a production company. You know that the films are always comedies, and probably could have the descriptions of "zany", "crude", or "base" attached to them. Most people will think of Animal House or the Vacation movies (written by the recently departed John Hughes). Although I just found out the first ever National Lampoon's film was titled National Lampoon's Disco Beaver from Outer Space. But Loaded Weapon 1 is actually a bit different in that it's pretty much a spoof movie, where the others aren't. Obviously trying to work within the style created by the Zucker Abrahams Zucker team who did Airplane! and The Naked Gun, this film is much more based on a sequence of gags than really building complex character or scenarios. Which is fine with me. I love that stuff when it's done well. And I feel that Loaded Weapon 1 was done well. I have seen it a handful of times, and just pulled the shrinkwrap off a DVD that I've had in my house for a while after buying it on clearance to show my girlfriend. I think she fell asleep like she usually does, but I still had a great time.
It's a short little film, as it should be. It's primarily a spoof of The Lethal Weapon movies which I have never seen. I have seen enough pieces of them and know the basic plot that I'm still able to enjoy what they are spoofing. A good spoof somehow gives you an insight into what the original scene of a movie it is spoofing was like even if you haven't seen it. It's hard to explain how this is done, but if you GET the joke, you can sense where it's coming from. One of the most striking things about the movie I think is how many cameos there are. Here's a list:
Dr. Joyce Brothers
James Doohan (Scotty)
F. Murray Abraham
Charlie Sheen
Dennis Leary
Corey Feldman
Phil Hartman
J.T. Walsh
Erik Estrada
Larry Wilcox
Paul Gleeson
Whoopie Goldberg
Christopher Lambert
Bruce Willis
And Denise Richards (although she was not at all a celebrity at that time)
Of course you have the main characters played by Emilio Estevez who was pretty well known then. Samuel L Jackson was less well known. But then you got some other funny performances from John Lovitz, Tim Curry, Kathy Ireland, and of course the wonderful William Shatner, who tries to pull off such a goofy voice here.
So if you want some laughs, and to see a "gratuitous beaver scene" check this movie out. Like I said, it's short and sweet.
Rating: 9/10