Paul (U.S./UK, 2011)

Caught this movie midway through on Cinemax and was immediately hooked, and fortunately it was broadcast again the next day when I watched it in full.

It's a fun sci-fi/geek romp about two nerds from England who travel to the U.S. on holiday to attend Comicon in San Diego and proceed on a geek road trip of "alien hotspots" in the American Southwest. On the way, they meet up with the title character Paul, who has escaped from Area 51 and is trying to reach a rendezvous point to be taken back to his home . . . um, planet.

It's definitely not for everyone, there's a certain British-ness to the humour, exposure to which helps get the movie. The movie might likely appeal to sci-fi geeks, and I'm not hardcore, but I have to admit it's in my background, and that certainly aided in my appreciation.

The movie is replete with sci-fi and cultural references, the geekiness of which encourages people to just go along with the ride and ignore the ridiculousness of the scenario and appreciate that it's silliness that is very well done.

In my own geekiness, I'm surprised in all the noted references online that the movie makes, I haven't found mention that Paul's healing power is taken directly from the Star Trek Original Series episode "The Empath", nor Paul's twice quoteth Pearl Jam nod, "It's evolution, baby" (one for the rockers maybe).

And to split hairs about cultural references, there's a difference between nods or homage in the script to cultural references and overt mention of cultural references that are within the context of the movie. So wearing an "Empire Strikes Back" shirt is not a cultural reference because it fits in with the character in the context of the movie. Anything at Comicon is not a cultural reference because those are what you would expect to see in the context of Comicon.

Characters quoting Han Solo or Lt. Ripley lines, or the "Star Wars" cantina music playing at the bar (online sources keep referring to that movie as "Episode IV: A New Hope", to which I say fuck that, the movie was "Star Wars". Period. And fuck George Lucas fucking with his own legacy) are cultural references because those references are outside of the context of the film. Those can be considered homage to where this film comes from.

I loved this movie, but it is for sci-fi geeks who would get the humor and have fun with the many references. I'll give it a fresh 8 out of 10 tomato rating. No higher because it's light, silly fare, but excellent and intelligent in the light, silly fare genre.