MacGruber

No, I have not seen the SNL skit.  That's actually rather immaterial here.  The question is whether the concept has enough going for it to be a film.  "It's Pat," did not for example, while "The Blues Brothers," did.  On the face of it MacGruber sounded promising.  A Macguyver/action movie satire.  There's a lot of comedy gold there on the face of it.

The plot of the movie is of course Macgruber must be coaxed back into service ala Stallone in First Blood II, or Hot Shots II.   He must stop the evil Cunth (sigh) from getting and using a nuclear device.  Since this Cunth also killed his wife, well that makes it personal mister.  After killing off his own team with his home made explosives, he has to make do with a potential love interest and a by the book military type.  Can MacGruber do it, and do it with a paper clip?  Will we care.

Not too much.

Will Forte just doesn't do it for me.  He has the an almost negative charisma which makes the unlikeable MacGruber very hard to stand.  A Jim Carrey can take a MacGruber and just by sheer enthusiasm get you in on the joke.  Not here.  Val Kilmer doesn't embarrass himself, but neither does he do much with the admittedly lean role of head baddy.  My god though, he's gone so totally Brando.  You start looking at him trying to see the young hip "Chris Knight" of "Real Genius" and it's just not there anymore.  The only actor who really has gusto is Powers booth who is always a joy to watch.

Saying all the above, I will say as dumb comedy it does have some little funny bits.  Also, it suggests new uses for celery (don't EVER give MacGruber a head of cabbage.)  I don't put too much weight on box office, but when I saw it made 8 million at the box office I thought that was about right.