HOT SHOTS
A film review by Randall Rhea
Copyright 1991 Randall Rhea
HOT SHOTS is a slapstick comedy film in the tradition of such movies as AIRPLANE! and THE NAKED GUN.
The fact that this film is one of the season's top grossers is ample evidence of how dismal this summer has been for the movie industry. HOT SHOTS provides only an occasional gut-laugh; its bad jokes outnumber its good ones. AIRPLANE!, AIRPLANE 2, and THE NAKED GUN are all funnier films, and anyone who has seen and enjoyed them is bound to be disappointed by HOT SHOTS. I am particularly surprised at the large number of good reviews that this film has received.
The film's premise (an attempt to spoof TOP GUN) is weak, considering that TOP GUN is filled with such stereotypical plots and characters that it is something of a parody already. Scenes from other films, such as the hungry wolf from DANCES WITH WOLVES, are thrown in at random, and are only occasionally funny.
Charlie Sheen is reasonably good in the starring role as a pilot who is called back to the Navy after being discharged for mental incompetence. He had already done some effective comedy (FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF), and this film should lead him to more work in that area. However, Sheen is not naturally funny like Leslie Nielsen or Robin Williams--he strains to get the humorous lines out. Unfortunately, there are few if any other decent performances. Particularly weak is Lloyd Bridges, who is embarrassingly bad as a senile old admiral, positioned throughout the film as a constant source of stupid toilet jokes.
Wait until this one appears in the video stores ... and then rent it only if the store is out of AIRPLANE!
Rating: ** (out of ****)
-- Randall Rhea Informix Software, Inc. Project Manager, MIS Sales/Marketing Systems uunet!pyramid!infmx!randall
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