Review: Paul

What happens when you take ET and mix it with Superbad and Shaun of the Dead? Well, you get Paul. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost play two british comic book nerds that go America for a comic book convention and also to see famous UFO sites. Along their travels they come across Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen), an alien who has escaped from Area 51 and is trying to get home. Pegg and Frost must help him get to his space ship before the FBI catches him.

Like Superbad and Shaun of the Dead, Paul has lots of crude humor and cursing (which is all pretty funny, especially when it is coming out of an alien's mouth). Jason Bateman is very funny as the FBI agent trying to get Paul back. Along the journey there are many very satisfying cameos (Jeffrey Tambor and Jane Lynch to name a couple) - and a very hilarious cameo at the very end which I won't spoil for you. Kristen Wiig also has a funny role as a hardcore Christian who's t-shirt shirt may be one of the more offensive things I've seen in a movie (hilarious, though). The comedy is where this movie capitalizes and the biggest laughs come from Paul himself.

What made Superbad and even Shaun of the Dead good was that they were able to have some truly touching moments among the comedy. Paul tries to do this with it's characters, but it feels like there is just too much going on for there to be anything that truly tugs at your heart strings.

Paul has enough laughs and action to keep you entertained. Sci-Fi enthusiasts will enjoy all of the references and jokes made here. Science Fiction is a tough genre of movie to make, and although this is somewhat of a parody - Paul is one of the better Science Fiction movies I've seen in a while.

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