Comic Book: The Movie

"Good"

Comic Book: The Movie Review


27 years after his appearance in Star Wars, Mark Hamill makes his directorial debut in a movie about... comic books? In this mockumentary, Hamill is just about the only actor who isn't playing himself. Instead, he's Don Swan, a comic book collector and store owner who is asked to consult on a Hollywood film about his favorite comic book character: Commander Courage. Hamill rounds up the usual comic book crowd (folks like Stan Lee and Kevin Smith, who wouldn't dream of missing an appearance in a film about comic books), plus manages to work in appearances from Hugh Hefner, Ray Harryhausen, Jonathan Winters, and Donna D'Errico, among others.

Swan gets a camera crew to tail him to Hollywood -- where Commander Courage, a supposed WWII era patriotic hero -- has been reinvented as Codename Courage, a ninja-like fighter of terrorism everywhere. But quickly he's on to the San Diego Comic-Con convention, where the bulk of the film takes place. It's hard to tell where the staged stuff for the movie ends and the fanboy ga-ga stuff begins: Among the countless shots of scantily clad fanbabes, costumed kids, and hugs with random convention exhibitors and fans there's a semblance of a story. Basically that involves Swan trying to convince everyone he meets that the old Commander Courage is better than the new Codename Courage (including a scene with Hamill and Stan Lee on a panel at the convention. Just don't think about it too much or you'll start to ask yourself just why Swan would be sent to this convention in the first place. It works only in the sense of putting the characters into oddball situations, but it's got little to do with anythig in the plot.

Shot on video (and in less than a week, it seems), Comic Book is a quickie and low-budget affair. The sound is rough and the pacing is erratic, but real comic book fans won't mind. I'd wager most of them will be busy watching to see if they were caught on camera at some point during the filming. There's some insidery humor sprinkled throughout the film as well. My wife even laughed a couple of times.

Straight to DVD, the film comprises two discs, with tons of extras on offer. Hamill and others chime in for an audio commentary, and outtakes and featurettes expand on Smith, Bruce Campbell, and Hefner's appearances in the film.



Comic Book: The Movie

Facts and Figures

Run time: 106 mins

In Theaters: Tuesday 27th January 2004

Distributed by: Miramax

Production compaines: Creative Light Entertainment

Reviews

Contactmusic.com: 3 / 5

IMDB: 5.9 / 10

Cast & Crew

Director:

Starring: as Donald Swan, Donna D'Errico as Liberty Lass / Papaya Smith, as Leo Matuzik, as Anita Levine, Daran Norris as Commander Courage / Bruce Easly, as Himself, as Himself, as Derek Sprang, as Jill Sprang, as Himself, as Himself, as Himself, as Himself, as Wally

Contactmusic


Links


New Movies

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

After the thunderous reception for J.J. Abrams' Episode VII: The Force Awakens two years ago,...

Daddy's Home 2 Movie Review

Daddy's Home 2 Movie Review

Like the 2015 original, this comedy plays merrily with cliches to tell a silly story...

The Man Who Invented Christmas Movie Review

The Man Who Invented Christmas Movie Review

There's a somewhat contrived jauntiness to this blending of fact and fiction that may leave...

Ferdinand Movie Review

Ferdinand Movie Review

This animated comedy adventure is based on the beloved children's book, which was published in...

Brigsby Bear Movie Review

Brigsby Bear Movie Review

Director Dave McCary makes a superb feature debut with this offbeat black comedy, which explores...

Battle of the Sexes Movie Review

Battle of the Sexes Movie Review

A dramatisation of the real-life clash between tennis icons Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs,...

Shot Caller Movie Review

Shot Caller Movie Review

There isn't much subtlety to this prison thriller, but it's edgy enough to hold the...

Advertisement
The Disaster Artist Movie Review

The Disaster Artist Movie Review

A hilariously outrageous story based on real events, this film recounts the making of the...

Stronger Movie Review

Stronger Movie Review

Based on a true story about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, this looks like one...

Only the Brave Movie Review

Only the Brave Movie Review

Based on a genuinely moving true story, this film undercuts the realism by pushing its...

Wonder Movie Review

Wonder Movie Review

This film may be based on RJ Palacio's fictional bestseller, but it approaches its story...

Happy End  Movie Review

Happy End Movie Review

Austrian auteur Michael Haneke isn't known for his light touch, but rather for hard-hitting, award-winning...

Patti Cake$ Movie Review

Patti Cake$ Movie Review

Seemingly from out of nowhere, this film generates perhaps the biggest smile of any movie...

The Limehouse Golem Movie Review

The Limehouse Golem Movie Review

A Victorian thriller with rather heavy echoes of Jack the Ripper, this film struggles to...

Advertisement
Artists
Actors
    Filmmakers
      Artists
      Bands
        Musicians
          Artists
          Celebrities
             
              Artists
              Interviews