- Director: Chris Prynoski
- Format: Animated, Subtitled, Widescreen
- Language: English
- Subtitles: French, English, Spanish
- Region: All Regions
- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
- Rated: Not Rated
- Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
- Release Date: February 7, 2017
- Run Time: 83 minutes
The concept
behind Nerdland has seen many
different forms over the years. First the idea started as a live-action feature
film, before it was pitched as a television series. Then it was an animated
series, before it morphed once again, into the animated feature that was
finally made. After all of the alterations needed just to get to this finished
product, the story of the production of Nerdland
resembles the same desperation of the characters searching for fame within the
narrative.
For a film about
an aspiring actor and screenwriter deciding they will do anything it takes to
become famous, Nerdland seems a poor
title choice. Even with one of the minor characters serving as the ultimate pop
culture geek, the focus of the narrative is on fame rather than being a nerd.
Neither of the main characters even seems intelligent enough to wear that
moniker. John (voiced by Paul Rudd) comes closest as an actor who dabbles in
internet hacking, whereas his screenwriter roommate, Elliot (Patton Oswald) is
essentially just a typical Hollywood slacker.
Only when they briefly visit the owner of a collectible shop known as the “king
of nerds” (Hannibal Buress) does the title briefly fit.
John and Elliot
are tired of waiting for fame to come as they approach their 30th
birthdays, so they decide to take matters into their own hands. In a satirical
approach to fame which has been taken many times before (Jimmy Hollywood, Cecil B.
Demented), John and Elliot decide that infamy is better than nothing, and
set out to make a name for themselves by any means necessary. When all of their
efforts to become known in the entertainment industry seem too difficult, they
switch to any form of fame available.
After
unsuccessfully attempting to become victims of police brutality, John and
Elliot go from attempted victim to aggressor by deciding to go on a killing
spree. When these plans don’t work, the pair inadvertently stumbles into
notoriety by becoming the sole witnesses to a high profile crime that is the focus
of the media. The episodic nature of the film makes it clear to see how this
could have been released as a series of animated shorts or a TV series, though
it mostly just feels unfocused as a feature film.
On top of
changing directions several times throughout the film and having a narrative
that is a watered-down rehash of familiar themes, Nerdland is quite simply an unattractive film. The animation is
vulgarly drawn, both in the sense that it is full of questionable content, an
unpleasing color palette, and unattractive character designs. Scenes filled
with sleazy imagery ensures this is a film intended for adults only, including
excessive nudity from random bare breasts to a running gag involving John’s
hairy anus. Perhaps even more distracting than the crassness of the content is
the decision to give the protagonists noses that are different color than the
rest of their face. I spent half of the film wondering why John’s nose was
purple, despite none of the minor characters having that odd frostbitten look.
The Blu-ray
release of Nerdland is wholly unnecessary. Not only is the animation no less
unattractive in high definition, there are no special features to speak of.
Entertainment Value:
6/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 5.5/10
Historical Significance:
2/10
Special Features: 0/10
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