Swiss Army Man

Like abnormal? See this. Like intelligent? See this. Like funny. SEE THIS! Swiss Army Mans diversity was not only noticeable but its strangeness was not only quirky but hilarious. This is easily the best comedy of 2016. It has Daniel Radcliffe who was perfect for Manny, and Paul Dano who was also perfect for Hank. I swear there is no way of telling this is Daniels first film from the perfected direction and writing. The humor has funny build up and is really farcical. I think this film did everything correctly with how it wanted to do it. I recommend this to film goers who like strange but intact. 11/10 Golden Potato

According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, the word "weird" means "very strange and unusual, unexpected, or not natural". However, most people use the word as a way to demean and dismiss anything that they don't agree with, understand or are not a part of, the implication being something like "everything that I do, say and think is normal, but everything different from that is just weird." In short, the proper use of "weird" is for things ranging from the unusual to the unnatural, but things that are simply different from a given individual's experience don't quite qualify. Now, having made that distinction, I'm here to tell you that "Swiss Army Man" (R, 1:37) fits any and every definition of "weird". Hank (Paul Dano) has somehow become shipwrecked on some isolated beach and doesn't seem to have any idea where he is. We don't know how long he has been there, but when we first see him, he is in such a state of extreme despair that he is preparing to hang himself. But before he gets a chance to do his death dance, he spots someone else washed up on the shore. He runs to see if the person is still alive. He's not. Well, he's unresponsive anyway… until he starts farting. In fact, this corpse farts so much and with such force that Hank can ride the corpse like a jet ski to another nearby beach. No kidding. Even though Hank still doesn't know where he is, he credits the corpse with saving his life (at least for the time being), so he drags the flatulent fellow to shelter. The two of them spend the night in a cave, as it rains outside. Hank finds a cup and tries to catch rain water with it, but the cup has a hole in it. The corpse's mouth, which has been agape all night, has also caught some of the rain water. In the morning, Hank discovers that pressing on the corpse's belly makes that water gush from its mouth. Hank drinks. Then the corpse begins to speak! It's only mumbling at first, but then the words becoming clearer and Hank begins conversing with the corpse, whom he calls Manny (and is played by Daniel Radcliff). Manny talks while staring off into space and he doesn't seem to understand more than a small child, so most of these conversations involve Hank trying to answer Manny's simple questions and trying to teach Manny about life. The two of them talk about things like farting, pooping, families, women and *. Manny can't walk, so Hank alternately straps Manny to his back and drags Manny on a stretcher, as Hank keeps the two of them moving forward in an attempt to find someone who can help them. Soon, Hank learns that Manny can do more than spew drinking water from his mouth and propel the two of them through the water (and even into the air) with his farts. Manny can chop wood with his hand, cut rope with his teeth and can even shoot things out of his mouth with enough force to kill forest creatures that can then be cooked and eaten. Like the time-honored multi-purpose tool of the film's name, Manny has many potentially life-saving uses. Oh, and when he sees a picture of a woman, he gets an erection which stretches out his pants and points the way towards… somewhere, and Hank wants to go there. "Swiss Army Man" is one of the weirdest movies I've ever seen, and not in a good way. I appreciate creativity and originality in movies and I do my best to respect a given filmmaker's vision, even if it's not my style, but this movie is unnecessarily bizarre. Still, there is a point to this film's strangeness. It's about friendship, accepting yourself for who you are, appreciating all aspects of life, yada, yada, yada. These are all great messages, but we've seen them portrayed many times before in movies that were original, but more entertaining and definitely less crude and less… odd. This movie deserves points for creativity and some positive messages, but it's just too damned weird for me to recommend it. "D"

Where are the 10 star ratings coming from? I saw this with my wife. We both thought it sucked and walked out after about 30 min. When the movie finally makes it past the seemly never ending farts, it assaults you with dick boner humor and incessant talk about *. We're not prudes. It's just that it's stupid and sophomoric. The first 30 minutes of this movie suck. Who knows maybe it gets better. I read a review that said if you can make it through the movie, it has a great ending. Make it through? Seriously? Does that sound like a movie worth watching? BTW, love the actors. It's just the story and dialog are painful and stupid. Worst film of 2016 in my opinion.

If someone told me the author of this story was a frequent user of LSD or other psychedelic and/or psychotropic substances, I would believe it. This is just utter nonsense and the story doesn't have any deep meaning to it, IMHO. It's just drivel and a waste of time, money and energy. Don't get me wrong, I'm not being prudish since the farting etc. didn't offend me, per se. The story is just so unbelievably pointless! I watched the whole thing (why, I ask myself?). The acting was quite good and even excellent at times, but wasted on a BS storyline. When I read some of the great reviews this movie is getting, I wonder if it is a sign of the dumbing down of society? How can this be considered an excellent movie by so many viewers? I wonder...

MAGICAL, would be the one word I'd choose to describe this film. However, it is so much more. It's smart, but disguises itself as dumb or silly at times. A wonderful commentary on human life that makes you laugh, gasp, and truly ponder. It brings up something that everyone can relate to, every human. However, serious the film may get, it's extremely self aware, and never get's too deep without being able to take a few steps back and laugh at itself. The fun and playfulness of Steven Spielberg's Hook, mashed together with Cast Away and Fight Club. One of the most fun roller-coaster rides I've had in a while at the theater. Enjoy it on the big screen.