Really disappointing for fans of Simon Pegg's previous work. All the small-town charm and British humour has been ironed out and replaced with the tired, American 'stoner' gags. Imagine trying to enjoy 'Shaun Of The Dead' but the whole time Seth Rogan is burping smelly pot burps in your face, and you are pretty much getting the picture. The only time the film attempts to be anywhere near highbrow is with a thread about evolution vs creationism. The boys meet a girl who is a stereotypical bible-belt American Christian; and meeting an alien opens up a debate about her belief in creation. It is neither funny enough to be a joke nor balanced enough to be taken as a serious point. I hope the ill-thought out points get both Christians and atheists alike hopping mad, as neither are represented very well. One of the things that Simon Pegg is known for and has done well in the past is 'in-jokes'; usually quotes or mis-quotes from other movies, comics or TV shows. In 'Paul' the amount of quotes goes beyond affectionate nods to other films in the same genre and into the world of parody. By the time Sigourney Weaver is told "get away from her you bitch!" I was too bored of leaning over to explain to my wife why people were sniggering. That is sniggering, not laughing. Sorry Si - you messed up this time.
Review of Paul
