Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny (2006)

Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny

2006

Starring: Jack Black, Kyle Gass, Jason Reed, Ronnie James Dio, Meatloaf, Tim Robbins, Ben Stiller

Directed By: Liam Lynch

For those not in the know, Tenacious D is a band that goes back to the late 90's. Started in Tim Robbins' comedy troupe, Jack Black and Kyle Gass decided they had more in common that just music... they also wanted to form the greatest band on the earth. It's quite possible they achieved their goal. After launching their efforts on HBO as a short-lived series featuring short films and skits combined with original music, Tenacious D then went on to make a platinum selling debut album.

The Pick of Destiny (or POD as listed on the soundtrack album to save space) tells the ficticious origin of Tenacious D and their quest to become the greatest band in the world. Before we go any further, this movie is done in the way of "rock opera" mixed with "dick & fart" jokes. In other words, it's kind of like an explicit Blues Brothers. If you don't like Tenacious D or that type of film, don't even bother, because you won't get that type of humor and enjoy yourself. If you do "get it", then by all means, watch this fucking movie.

The movie opens with a young JB (short for Jack Black) rocking out an explicit song in front of his overly religious parents (dad played by Meatloaf). His dad tears down all of his rock posters and tells him that rock 'n roll is of the devil. So, young JB prays to Ronnie James Dio (of Black Sabbath fame-- post Ozzie) to give him the answer. Dio informs JB that he must go to Hollywood to persue his dreams, so JB sets off, thus putting the film in motion. He leaves as a young boy and finally arrives in Hollywood as an adult.

Strolling down Venice Beach, JB runs into KG (Kyle Gass for short), who is rocking the acoustic guitar like nobody's business. JB convinces KG to teach him the ways of ROCK, and thus sets the events of the film in motion. After a mediocre response to their first gig, JB and KG try and figure out what the key to "rock" is, thus bringing to light that there is a "pick of destiny". The pick is part of Satan's tooth and has been passed down for ages so that one may "rock" in an unholy and supernatural fashion.

So, the two set off to find the Pick of Destiny, which happens to be locked up tight and heavily secured at a museum for Rock 'n Roll. The film finally culminates with a showdown between The D and Satan in an epic "Rock Off", showcasing who is the better at rocking.

The movie isn't without it's flaws, but they are only minor. My biggest gripe is that the movie was a tad bit short, and at 97 minutes, it feels that some parts are rushed and not fleshed out enough. However, like I said above, if you like "rock opera" and Tenacious D, you're going to blow a load in your pants at the sheer awesomeness of this movie.

The acting is absolutely hilarious. With an excellent soundtrack by The D, Jack and Kyle rock out the whole movie while interweaving comedic bits throughout. The music tells the story for the most part, but it's the performances that bring about how passionate these two are about their music. It doesn't matter if the lyrics are filled with profanity and humor, it's the spirit of the music that brings about the essence of what's trying to be portrayed. I would have to say that this is Tenacious D at their comedic best.

The rest of the film is filled with virtual no-names in supporting roles, but they do their job of basically portraying nobody's, so it's all good. The cameos on the other hand are brilliant. Ronnie James Dio, Meatloaf, Ben Stiller, Collin Hanks, Tim Robbins, and Dave Grohl fill the movie with off beat cameo performances that don't overshadow any other actor and only elevate how influential The D has become in Hollywood. The Tim Robbins cameo is probably the best, and it will suprise you at just how "straight" but funny his performance is.

The script, as I touched on above, feels rushed in a few spots, but nothing too bad. It's very, very funny, and filled with comedic gags that are completely original and gags that touch on some of The D's older skits. It's a good mixture of old and new and only true fans of The D will catch everything.

The direction is simply... mediocre. Nothing out of the ordinary, but nothing bad. Liam Lynch has been friends with JB and KG for years, so he basically just turned the camera on and let them do their thing. This is good, because it's The D's movie, but he also brings nothing really new or original to the table. It's shot like a typical comedy that's mixed with the style of a rock opera. I feel he just studied The Who's Tommy and The Blues Brothers, and just turned the camera on for The D. I'm not bashing, but instead just trying to make a point that he brought nothing new or fresh to the table. He didn't do bad, just average.

The editing is really good, but it's a comedy, so there's no flashy cuts or anything like that. It's all simple cuts and it works.

The special fx are great, and this is mainly because it's a comedy, so what special fx there are, they aren't cheap or cheesy looking. They fit, and that's that. It works. I will say this, there is a part where JB uses his "member" to turn off a security system, and it's probably the most realistic looking fake "member" I've seen used in a comedy. Yes, I said his "member". I could only imagine what the fx artist was thinking after he read the script. "You want me to create what??"

Overall, Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny is a classic. Though Hollywood and most film critics will bash this movie because of their own ignorance, I had a blast watching it. I felt that it did The D justice without watching them "sell out" in the process. It was a hilarious ride of a movie, and though I wish it would have been a tad bit longer, it was great. I really have no complaints and would only have to nit-pick it to death to even begin being mean. This movie had serious balls, and I'm not just talking about JB's "member".

Rating: