The Watch (2012) - Review

Who enjoys Edgar Wright?  I know I do!  I haven’t seen a movie of his that I didn’t immediately love.  Now, who enjoys Edgar Wright-lite?  Or simply Wright-lite for those that enjoy conciseness and sick rhymes.  Wright-lite like The Watch may not have the nutritional value as classic Wright, but it’s pretty good fun in and of itself.

The Watch is a fairly simple comedy with some sci-fi elements thrown in.  Toss in some aliens and you have something that’s fairly similar in tone (although not as effective) as something like The World’s End.  The major difference between this and true Wright is that the jokes are a bit shallower here and aren’t derived from the characters, which are always very strong and even relatable in Wright films.

The Watch is something altogether simpler, but don’t let that deter you from “Watch”ing.  I should erase that, but I’m not going to.  The real reason to watch this is to see the lead cast shine.  Ben Stiller plays a great straight man, as always, and Jonah Hill is always good fun.

But the real standout here – and forgive my shock – is Vince freaking Vaughn.  He tears this movie up; he’s really funny in a way that he hasn’t been in like a decade.  I miss you, classic Vince!  The only slight misstep is Richard Ayoade, but he’s not terrible.  He just doesn’t gel very well with the seasoned comedians.

If you aren’t a fan of any of these guys, then don’t watch the movie, because certainly nothing else about it is going to win you over.  It’s a pretty standard sci-fi comedy that lacks the true finesse of an Edgar Wright film, but for what it is, it’s enjoyable.  Don’t expect a new Cornetto film though, because that it certainly is not.  Regardless, you should give it The Watch it deserves.  Okay, I seriously might delete that one (nope).