by CosmicTwin3

2011, Directed by David Gordon Green. Stars Danny McBride, Natalie Portman, James Franco, Zooey Deschanel.

This comedic spoof of sword-and-sorcery-heroic-quest movies is absolutely hilarious. And absolutely not for children –or anyone who disapproves of bathroom humor in general. Danny McBride takes center stage as Thadeous, the jealous younger brother of handsome Prince Fabious , heir to the throne of their father’s kingdom. The more successful Fabious is with each quest he undertakes, the more Thadeous feels overshadowed and underappreciated. When a dastardly wizard captures Fabious’ virgin bride-to-be to fulfill an evil prophecy, Fabious enlists Thadeous on the quest to rescue her. Mayhem ensues as the band of warriors encounters magical creatures, mythical monsters, valiant maidens, treachery, and ultimate triumph. Along the way Thadeous just might learn how to kick some ass and find his inner hero.

While not nearly the raunch-fest that The Hangover was, Your Highness is in that category of silly comedies that is sprinkled liberally with expletives and crude jokes. James Franco and Natalie Portman playing the ridiculous dialog and over-the-top action with straight faces make the jokes even funnier. Though it isn’t as brilliant as classic Mel Brooks parodies like Blazing Saddles or Spaceballs, this one is a solid comedy with excellent effects that cleverly finds every possible way to poke fun at a genre of movies that is too often overly hokey and pretentious. One of the things I enjoyed most about it was the variety of challenges the heroic band encountered every step of the way; this film redefined the ludicrous, outrageous situations that are the norm in the sword-and-sorcery genre.

I laughed out loud so much I totally forgot that I should probably be embarrassed by how much I was enjoying the low-brow humor. What the heck! This is a great rental that I plan to find time to watch again one day. Shamelessly.

Cosmic Twins rating: Double Serving