The Slammin' Salmon (2009)

I am not afraid to admit that I am a Broken Lizard fan. I dug Super Troopers , but it was Club Dread that made me a fan of the group. A perfect blend of horror and comedy. Vastly underrated, even by Broken Lizard fans. It makes me appreciate the film that much more, it's like the dark horse of the filmography. Beerfest was their next film and again, they scored high in my books. so my excitement rose when I heard there was another Broken Lizard film coming out, The Slammin' Salmon.

When the owner of a restaurant owes a Yakuza crime lord $20,000, he decides to hold a competition with the staff. The one who brings in the most money will win a prize. There was something off about this film from the get go, I couldn't put my finger on it until the credits started rolling. Jay Chandrasekhar the director of previous Broken Lizard entries was not the director. Kevin Heffernan was behind the camera. The film isn't poorly directed, just very basic. With Club Dread and Beerfest Chandrasekhar was use to being in the directing chair and would get a little bit more creative with the camera. Heffernan seems a bit timid.

The second would be the the film felt familiar. It could be that it's basically another swing at the dinning experience, one which we had earlier with Waiting. The difference being that this is an upscale restaurant, but the jokes, which we have seen before are still there. Some fall flat, others are just right up the groups alley. They also implore the use of twin characters, which we saw in Beerfest.

The film stars the usual boys, all doing a great job of course. They have their sense of timing and comedy down pat. Some people don't get or enjoy their comedic nature, but I do. The supporting players are April Bowlby, a waitress who tries to score tips based on her looks and Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother) as a waitress who also is trying to become a doctor. Both are great and fit nicely into the film with the boys. The stand out character is without a doubt Michael Clarke Duncan. He has the best lines, the best mannerism and has the most fun with the character.

While it is the weakest of the Broken Lizard films (not including Puddle Cruiser) it is still a decent entry. They have yet to disappoint me and if you are a fan of these guys, this film will make you laugh.