The Sophian

Issue date: 4/27/06 Section: Arts

Media Credit: Courtesy of star.niu The Tom Cruise parody, Tom Ryan, meets up with Oprah in this climatic scene.

The thought has finally sunk in that May is just around the corner and with it a whole helluvalotta work. So, being the Smithie that I am, I decided to do some procrastination and quell the panic that coincides with the end of the semester by going to see "Scary Movie 4." What can I say, my brain needed a break, and "Scary Movie 4" was the way to go.

Every once in a while it's comforting not to have to tear apart a movie either by trying to figure out its plot, comprehend some life lesson or having your eyes inundated with flashy scenery. There's not much to get out of a movie like "Scary Movie 4;" it is superficial, but since it is a parody no one really cares.

It is hard to give a plot synopsis, but I will say that it manages to tie together every major movie of 2005 from "The Grudge" and "Saw" to "War of the Worlds" and the inevitable "Brokeback Mountain." "Scary Movie 4" spares no expense as turns its gaze outside the world of cinema to pop culture in general. As part of its "War of the Worlds" parody, a giant iPod called the "Tripod" bursts out of the ground playing "Awesome 80's" before switching to the mode "Destroy Humanity."

A very handsome, yet awesomely dumb Tom Ryan (Craig Bierko) is the "Scary Movie" version of Tom Cruise. On the eve of the birth of Tom's daughter, it seems as though he will never give us the pleasure of staying out of the spotlight. "Scary Movie" doesn't touch upon the topic of Scientology-apparently "South Park" already had dibs on that subject-but the whole movie tears apart the persona of Tom Cruise. The closing scene between Tom and Oprah is the best part of the movie, except you'll wish it ended the way it did in the movie. Oh, if only life could imitate art in this instance.

The director, David Zucker, has worked on many similar films, most notably the "Naked Gun" trilogy staring Leslie Nielson. Again in "Scary Movie" the duo returns, and not without laughs. As expected, President Harris is President Bush, and it seems as though there were endless stories that Zucker could have used. Zucker went straight to the "mommy daddy button" and got Bush at his most incompetent: when he chose to stay and listen to a story about a child and her duck in an elementary school when he heard the news about 9/11. Throughout the film President Harris worries about "whatever happened to the duck?" In the end, he gets his happy ending.

I doubt that there will be much that anyone misses in "Scary Movie 4," as every part of it is pulled directly from mainstream America. It's amazing how the screenwriters were able to intertwine that many movies and their varied stories together. There isn't much to think about; I'm sure not many people go into this movie and expect to come out with a changed worldview.

"Scary Movie 4" hits home especially to those who are caught up with the Joneses. Some may think they are too good for a movie like this, but I tell you, if you've ever heard yourself say "I'm gonna put that up on Myspace!" you are definitely not. To those of you who are looking for an escape, go see "Scary Movie 4." As long as there are no high expectations, you won't be disappointed.

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