Official Synopsis
Tim and Eric are given a billion dollars to make a movie, but squander every dime eliciting the wrath of the sinister Schlaaang corporation. Their lives at stake, the guys skip town in search of a way to pay the money back. When they happen upon a chance to rehabilitate a bankrupt mall full of vagrants, bizarre stores and a man-eating wolf that stalks the food court, they see dollar signs—a billion of them.
I have no issues with wacky ‘out there’ type of comedy. Tim & Eric have made a career on Adult Swim with such a thing. If you have ever seen Tim & Eric’s Awesome Show then you know exactly what you’re getting with the duo. Having said that, Tim & Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie rates up there with the Aqua Teen Hunger Force film; it’s for a niche audience and nothing more. Any other movie goer will fail to understand the off-beat humor and the editing techniques that come with the boys’ material. I think that is where this film fails big time, and it’s complete disconnection from the Adult Swim show.
The story is simple enough, as the boys need to pay back one billion dollars to movie moguls who were unimpressed with their 5-minute short. Naturally, they run into a solution where they have the opportunity to run a mall and get back their billion dollars. Inside the simplicity of the story lies moments very Tim & Eric Awesome Show moments that are far out and ridiculous. For example, Tim’s illegal adoption/kidnapping of a boy from Matt O’Toole’s Reggie is a bright spot. You also get to witness a long make-out session between Eric and Twink Caplan’s Katie, which is sorta disturbing. You get all of these small random things in between the major plot points of the movie. It will certainly be familiar with fans of the Adult Swim show.
There are moments where things get downright disturbing. One in particular is the emergence of shrim. Without getting into the exact definition of the term (use google), you get introduced to the process when Tim is hallucinating thanks to a Spanish Fly pill. The long and short of it, he’s put into a bathtub where people defecate on him; and not the solid kind. Much like other films that come from shows, Tim and Eric took it upon themselves to do things that common cable can’t do thanks to FCC restrictions, and probably Cartoon Network restrictions. It boils down to shock value and cheapens the moment, and their comedy. I think that it takes their fans out of the moment as well. There is a point in movies and shows where the creators can take things too far, and this is one (of many) moment where the duo crosses the line of good taste.
Anyway, if you’re looking for a recreation of the Adult Swim hit then you’re going to find several pieces here that mimic it, but as a whole you’re stepping into a new adventure with the guys. Hardcore fans of the show might really like this, but a normal moviegoer is not going to enjoy this trip.
Having said that, the Blu-ray portion of the film is fantastic. It’s sharp, clean and crisp. While there isn’t any surprise, there are moments where you wish you had this on VHS and without the clarity. Need an example, then you just need to go two paragraphs up. In all seriousness, I think the quality of the HD transfer is pretty solid. If you can stomach the film then you will appreciate the HD it delivers. As for the audio, you get it in 5.1 DTS-HD.
Finally, the features are actually darn good. Here’s what you’re looking at:
– Commentary
– Deleted Scenes
– Extended Scenes
– Good Evening S’Wallow Valley
– Interview with Tim & Eric
– A Look at Tim & Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie
– Promo Videos
– Shrim Dance Screensaver
– Poster and Photo Galleries
– Trailers
Solid stuff that is the kind of material that you would expect from Tim and Eric. I think the commentary might be the best part of this package.