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Zoolander

Starring: Ben Stiller
Director: Ben Stiller
Genre: Comedy
Year: 2001
Rating: 2 / 5

Ben Stiller is a rather funny fellow, to the point that he has attained cult status among the Generation X set. Ever since he broke out as the star-director of Singles, Stiller has been trumpeted as a man who has the pulse of today's coveted 18-34 demographic. Success in such films as Analyze This and Meet the Parents has only reinforced this notion. The end result is Zoolander, with the talented Stiller as star-writer-director. Maybe Stiller stretched himself too thin, and maybe he took on too much responsibility, but, either way, the result is the same: Zoolander is a disappointing comedy with only a few scattered laughs.

Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) is one of the world's leading male models, annually winning impressive hardware during his industry's biggest ceremony - the VH-1 Fashion Awards. Derek is recognized across the globe, hawking products and generally strutting his stuff. New blood in on the rise, however, and pretty boy Hansel (Owen Wilson) is ready to make a run at the top spot. These two prima donnas, complete with adoring entourages, prance and preen wherever they go, both intent on grabbing the spotlight. Watching these two try to upstage each other is one of the film's few true delights. Almost forgot - the rest of the plot…

Mugatu (Will Ferrell) is a fashion industry titan, and he sees worrisome signs on the horizon. The Prime Minister of Malaysia is about to enact laws restricting child labor, a decision which could have a devastating effect on Mugatu and his colleagues. Without cheap labor in Southeast Asia, the fashion world would be dealt a serious blow. A shadowy group of behind-the-scenes powerbrokers decides that the Prime Minister must be assassinated. Not only that, the man to pull the trigger must be a male fashion model, and, with a small bit of investigation, Derek Zoolander is identified as the man for the job. Simply brainwash the dimwitted Zoolander, have him kill the Prime Minister, and order will be restored.

Ben Stiller has so many roles in the production of this film that some are bound to succeed. The actor is not at fault for this film, as he attempts to make use of some rather uninspired material. The problem is that the writer attempts to take what would be an enjoyable skit and turns it into a feature-length movie. Certain sequences, particularly one involving a "walk-off" between Zoolander and Hansel, would work well independently, but here they merely highlight the shortcomings of the rest of the film. The film does feature a plethora of celebrity cameos, including by a random appearance from cult favorite Billy Zane. Zoolander is meant as a flighty diversion from the cares of the world; alas, it only serves to remind me how far Hollywood has fallen.

Cast:

Certification: Rated PG-13.
Running Time: 90 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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