four stars

Reviewed by Daniel E. Jennis

In “Year One”, Jack Black and Michael Cera star as tribesmen Zed and Oh, a misfit hunter-gatherer pair who are banished from their tribe for dishonoring sacred customs. The two journey into the world beyond the narrow confines of their home, and venture into the city of Sodom.

There, they experience a horrific and violent society characterized by idol worship and human sacrifice. Zed and Oh must navigate through the disorder and fanaticism in order to protect themselves and their friends, who have been sold into slavery and face the possibility of being sacrificed.

I entered into this movie with almost impossibly low expectations, thinking that since Jack Black already resembles a Neanderthal, this film would merely have him acting slightly more stupid than usual. And while there is a lot of shtick involved, both from Black and the baby-faced, effeminate Cera, the core of the material transcends the slightly uninspired lead performances.

Ultimately, the film is a series of one-liners and sight gags, but thankfully a majority of the material hits home. The movie makes no attempt to keep historical accuracy or chronology, and the range of situations and characters that do not belong is both stunning and hilarious. The subsequent clash of civilizations provides a bizarre look at several different variants of self-serving and oblivious behavior.

The film thrives as a situational comedy, where the ridiculousness of the journey experienced by the two leads overwhelms everything else. The writers are very creative and implement a wide range of humor. Director Harold Ramis, who has previously directed “Ghostbusters” and “Groundhog Day”, knows comedy well, and pushes the film along at a fervent pace. As a result, the jokes that miss are quickly lost as the comedy flies fast and furious.

The picture’s biggest merit is that it is funnier than expected, but that is basically all the comedy has to offer. The majority of “Year One” is overwhelmingly shallow, and Black has a tendency to be extremely self-aggrandizing in his show-stopping stupidity. The humor is largely immature, and it is very possible that a large portion of viewers will find the film unfunny. Nevertheless, I found the comedic value hard to deny, and as a result surprisingly enjoyed a film that existed beyond the bounds of history and reason.