Dante (and Randal)'s Inferno

Although there's more than one movie opening this weekend I'm interested in seeing, it worked out that the one I made it to tonight was Clerks II. My perspective coming in was one of a moviegoer who has laughed quite a lot at previous Kevin Smith movies, but doesn't think as highly of him as some do. (For my money, Office Space far surpasses the original Clerks as the best "disaffected workplace comedy" film.)

I'm pleased to say the movie quite exceeded my expectations. It had more of the fun "wow, you so cannot say that" kinds of conversations that were the hallmark of the original. It had the geek pop culture debates beloved in all the Kevin Smith films. It had enough specific nods to the original film to make this a true sequel to Clerks, and not just another "ViewAskewniverse" film. It had the one or two over the top "gross out moments" that have popped up in the later View Askew films like Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. It had the handful of cameos it just had to have. Above all, it brought the funny.

No, I amend that. Above all, it actually had a message. I was rather stunned by that, given how "fun, but disposable" most of Kevin Smith's other movies have been. This movie was fun and actually had a statement to make about finding one's way in life and meeting expectations.

Or, put another way, Joel Siegel is a big baby, and actually missed out on something really good.

I give it a B+. If you're a big Kevin Smith fan, it probably gets an A or A- instead... I know the audience at my screening was far in the Smith tent, and they freakin' loved it.