For his fifth and, apparently, final View Askew movie, Kevin Smith has gone all out. This is a sprawling story about his films' Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Gen X slackers Jay (Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith himself), bringing back most of the cast, settings and characters from Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy and Dogma. The result is astonishingly hilarious, with perfectly formed gags flying off the screen constantly as the story gets more and more outlandish. Basically, our heroes find out that Banky (Lee) has sold to Hollywood the rights to the comic book based on their lives. So they leave New Jersey and head out West to stop the production. Goofy adventures ensue.

There's no point to this film, besides well-aimed jabs at Hollywood--internet gossip sites, Miramax and the entire Matt & Ben thing (we even get to see Gus Van Sant directing them in Good Will Hunting 2: Hunting Season), and Star Wars, in the title itself, as well as the presence of Fisher and Hamill, who sparks an hysterical climactic light saber battle. There are so many little bits of comedy that it almost demands repeat viewings (favourite bits for me were the bickering duals of both Affleck/Damon and Biggs/Van Der Beek). And Smith cleverly weaves the plots of his previous films to bring them all together into one massive narrative. Whether this is really the final appearance of Jay and Silent Bob is debatable. Smith gets more and more polished with each film (although this one's mid-section does drag a bit), and it seems impossible that he would abandon these loveable losers now that they're big stars in their own right.

very strong language, themes, vulgarity

31.Oct.01