The Hebrew Hammer (2003)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Jonathan Kesselman

Writer:

Jonathan Kesselman (writer)

Release Date:

25 March 2004 (Australia)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Part man. Part street. 100% kosher.

Plot:

An orthodox Jewish blaxploitation hero saves Hanukkah from the clutches of Santa Claus's evil son.

Plot Keywords:

Jewish | Hanukkah | Blaxploitation | Shotgun | Cult Favorite

Cast

Adam Goldberg	...	Mordechai Jefferson Carver
Judy Greer	...	Esther Bloomenbergensteinenthal
Andy Dick	...	Damian Claus
Mario Van Peebles	...	Mohammed Ali Paula Abdul Rahim
Peter Coyote	...	JJL Chief Bloomenbergensteinenthal
Nora Dunn	...	Mrs. Carver
Sean Whalen	...	Tiny Tim
Tony Cox	...	Jamal
Richard Riehle	...	Santa
Melvin Van Peebles	...	Sweetback
Rachel Dratch	...	Tikva
Harrison Chad	...	Schlomo
Jim Petersmith	...	Skinhead Bartender
Annie McEnroe	...	Mrs. Highsmith
Grant Rosenmeyer	...	Young Mordechai

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexual references and drug use.

Runtime:

85 min | Argentina:87 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Hebrew | Yiddish

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:Unrated | USA:R | Australia:M | Argentina:13

Company:

Intrinsic Value Films

Trivia:

The original script called for a cameo from US Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-Con), but Lieberman turned it down, so the role went to former New York City mayor Edward I. Koch, who was recruited at the last minute by one of the producers.

Goofs:

Factual errors: At the north pole, right after Santa barricades the door, we see Hammer pointing a gun at Santa. When he racks the slide to chamber a bullet the slide stays back indicating it is unloaded, but when the camera changes angles he's able to shoot the tomato.

Quotes:

Mordechai Jefferson Carver: [praying with tefillin] Baruch atah adonoi... I don't know what the hell I'm saying.
Mohammed Ali Paula Abdul Rahim: What you doing?
Mordechai Jefferson Carver: I'm prayin' to God we don't kill ourselves gettin' over this wall.

Movie Connections:

References "Mike Hammer" (1956)

Oye vei!!

"The Hebrew Hammer", is all about Goldberg as the certified circumcised private dick title character, a Jewish combination of Shaft, Superfly, and Mike Hammer, who sets about to defeat an evil Santa Claus who has sworn to put an end to Hanukkah. A campy, silly, an occasionally outrageous slam fest, this flick takes potshots at Jews, Afro-Ams, and white gentiles as our not-so-super-hero goes after Santa armed only with a babe, big guns, and guilt trips. What the film lacks in class and production value it almost makes up for with nonstop kosher comedy of the same ilk at Scary Movie, Naked Gun, Airplane, etc. Only for those into wacky slampoons who aren't concerned with political correctness. (B-)