The Bat Cave

Starring: Ben Stiller, Robert De Nero, Teri Polo, Owen Wilson, Dustin Hoffman, Barbara Streissand, Blythe Danner, Jessica Alba
Director: Paul Weitz (About A Boy, American Pie)

Quick Thoughts: The first sequel was not only unnecessary, it was also forgettable. Little Fockers doesn’t suffer the same fate, but unfortunately that’s not for good reason as it will be remembered for being one of the worst comedies of the past decade. I’m not going to spend time talking about the absurd plot to this film–and why should I? It’s not like the filmmakers put any serious thought into the script themselves. Screenwriter John Hamburg is a frequent collaborator with star Ben Stiller, but it’s obvious that Hamburg is much more talented at coming up with original stories (Meet The Parents, I Love You, Man) than continuing previous ones. Little Fockers is star studded with several A-Listers, but the film is terrible and offers very few genuine laughs. I’d recommend for the cast to quit while they’re ahead, but it’s already too late for that and at this point all we can hope for is that Hollywood will put this franchise out of its misery before the sequels put such a powerful taint on the series that we forget how truly fantastic the original was.

Viewings: 1
Replay Value: Zero.
Sequel Potential: Meet The Fockers grossed $280 million in the U.S. and even though business fell off dramatically for Little Fockers, at $148 million, it’s still a box office hit. It was universally destroyed by critics though, so it’s quite possible that the stars of the series will realize it’s time to give it up.
Oscar Potential: None
Nudity: None
Grade: 3/10 (Skip It)
RottenTomatoes Scores: Critics: 9% Audience: 41%
IMDB Rating: 5.3/10
Recommendation: Little Fockers is borderline unwatchable. It’s a comedy that’s not particularly funny and a great barometer for judging someone’s taste in movies. Ask someone enthusiastically: “Have you seen Little Fockers yet?” If they respond with: “Yeah! It was really funny.” then you know never to take their opinion on films seriously again. One of the worst movies of the year, for sure.