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Austin, Texas-based production studio Rooster Teeth has been responsible for all kinds of wonderfully geeky content—from podcasts and web series to comedy and anime. They’ve built such a loyal following that they even managed to break records for the crowd-funding of their first film, Lazer Team. But it’s a film that will mostly appeal to those crowd-funding fans.
Lazer Team finds the fate of the planet in the entirely unqualified hands of a quartet of misfits. Decades ago, a mysterious transmission from space warned of impending danger, and an alien race offered to provide the people of Earth with a special suit to help one specially-trained warrior battle the intergalactic enemy. But as the military awaits the arrival of the suit with their champion, Adam (Alan Ritchson), four troublemakers accidentally shoot down the spaceship and end up with the suit genetically locked on them. With just four days until the attack, Adam has to turn a bunch of idiots into warriors.
The idea behind Lazer Team is an intriguing one—one that seems inspired by the fun-filled sci-fi comedies of the ‘80s. Just take a bunch of lovably bumbling misfits and place the fate of the world in their hands, and hilarity is sure to ensue. But that’s not necessarily the case here.
While the characters are bumbling, they aren’t exactly lovable. They’re idiotic and immature, bitter and blundering. A couple of these characters have a certain charm to them, like world-weary cop Hagan (who’s played by writer/producer Burnie Burns). But that could have something to do with the fact that he’s the most developed character in the bunch—as well as the only one who seems to be even the slightest bit stable.
The story, meanwhile, is needlessly complex. The set-up is long and complicated, and the details just seem to get more convoluted as the story plays out, plagued with perplexing plot points and all-too-convenient twists. It’s definitely more dim-witted than the typical sci-fi thriller, but it’s also more complicated than the typical sci-fi comedy. And it all comes together in a package that feels cheap and cheesy and over-acted—and not exactly exciting—maybe better suited for TV. And though the film’s conclusion leaves the door wide open for a sequel, that prospect feels more like a threat than a promise.
Of course, Rooster Teeth’s loyal fans—those who are familiar with the team and their inside jokes—will most likely enjoy following them on their kooky big-screen adventure. But while the concept has potential, the execution is clumsy—so this one is probably best left to the fans.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
