Considering Judd Apatow directed ?Knocked Up? and Seth Rogen
was the screenwriter for ?Superbad,? it would seem that combining these two minds
to create ?Drillbit Taylor? would result in nothing less than perfection. After
actually viewing this sad attempt at film, however, it?s blaringly obvious that
even these great comedic forces can disappoint viewers.

The plot of ?Drillbit Taylor? is a simple one. Wade (Nate
Hartley, television?s ?Unfabulous?), Ryan aka T-dawg (Troy Gentile, ?Good Luck
Chuck?), and Emmit (David Dorfman, ?The Ring Two?) play typical geeks striving
to stay afloat during their first few weeks of high school. Their reputations as
geeks are immediately defined after they arrive at their first day of school
wearing the same shirt. As a result, the school bully (Alex Frost, ?Stop Loss?)
decides to make the ?Siamese queers? (as he calls them) his new geek targets.
While completing typical hazing activities such as shoving the smallest geek
into a locker, Frost?s character takes it a step further, threatening the boys?
lives with a samurai sword, thus making the movie PG-13 for ?strong bullying.? In
steps Drillbit Taylor (Owen Wilson, ?The Darjeeling Limited?) to act as the
nerds? personal bodyguard ? who also kindly steals random items from their
homes.

Playing this war veteran turned highway bum recently turned
con artist, Wilson isn?t able to portray the movie?s main character, Drillbit,
in a convincing manner. But who could blame him, especially when his character
claims himself an ?improvisational weapons expert?? While he goes through the
motions in this film, Wilson?s credits are filled with better roles (Anyone remember
the infamous Hansel in ?Zoolander??).

As for the plot, this tale of nerds striving to stay afloat
in a world of bullies is something everyone should be able to relate to, but
awkwardly cannot in this film. Yet, while the plot is unable to create an
emotional connection with its audience, the jokes aren?t funny either, not to
mention that it?s painfully easy to tell when the writer tried to invoke laughs
from the audience. But, since no one did, it made the movie miserably uncomfortable
to sit through.

A few critics have dubbed this movie ?Superbad?s little
brother.? If by little brother, they meant fraternal twin but missing a funny
bone, then it?s easy to agree. Not only does the movie take place in a high
school setting, but it also has a tall, lanky dork boy and a short, chubby smartass
with curly hair. Sound familiar? However, the similarities come to a screeching
halt here, and ?Drillbit Taylor? suffers for it.

Overall, the movie was a huge letdown. Even though it is
only 102 minutes long, it feels as long as ?The Lord of the Rings? ? the
extended version. But if you?re hankering for some mild humor, then go see
?Drillbit Taylor,? graciously (but regretfully) screened at a cinema near you.

?

1 1/2 stars out of 5