MOVIE: ‘American Reunion’ a hilarious ride

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El Estoque Staff

The cast of ‘American Reunion’ poses in a throwback to the original film. Those easily offended should give this film a pass, as much of the movie is obscene as well as obscenely funny. Photo taken from Universal Pictures.
The cast of ‘American Reunion’ poses in a throwback to the original film. Those easily offended should give this film a pass, as much of the movie is obscene as well as obscenely funny. Photo taken from Universal Pictures.

After almost a decade of being laid to rest, the original “American Pie” series has been brought back to life to entertain a new generation of virgins. Thank God. This latest film, directed by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, features the original cast catching up at their high school reunion. The band of horny brothers from the previous films is reunited, and hilarity ensues as they run into problems (most having some connection to fornication) brought back from the past or brought with them from their present lives.

First and foremost, this is a film full of sex jokes. There’s dirty humor every thirty seconds. However, these aren’t just sex jokes, these are good sex jokes, and that makes all the difference. The writers of this movie find ways to make genitalia and intercourse funny in beautiful, new ways. Instead of just getting hit in the balls, Jim (Jason Biggs) slams his laptop closed on his little member. This is after his toddler walks in on him watching very loud, very… “adult” videos. “When’d you start opening doors?” Jim asks his son in surprise as moans emanate from his computer.

Plus, because the characters are all grown up, the whole movie doesn’t revolve around horny teenagers trying to get lucky like the original. This allows the film to branch out in newer, lewder directions. And as a bonus, the one character who hasn’t grown up at all, Stiffler (Seann William Scott) is easily the best of the (admittedly pretty mediocre) bunch. The way he cusses with such juvenile enthusiasm and delight makes you want to try out the words again for yourself, to see if he’s getting something you’re missing. His adolescent, sex-crazed antics are carried out with such a bare-faced d-bagginess and sense of fun that you can’t help but love him even as you judge his stupidity and immorality.

Of course, like other movies of its genre, the overall plot is unoriginal and formulaic. Characters have the same epiphanies that other characters from other films have been having for decades, revealed secrets cause temporary falling outs between couples and everything resolves itself in the end. But the plot isn’t the point of this movie. Like all good comedy of this genre, the point is to put characters in ridiculous situations and have them react in ridiculous ways. In that way, this film succeeds beautifully.

And speaking of beautiful, Katrina Bowden is in this movie. That itself should be reason enough for half our school’s population to see this film, legally or otherwise.