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24 out of 26 people found the following review useful: Unbeatable comedy for the right person in the right frame of mind., 11 January 2002 Author: BrickTop from Perth, Western Australia
You can pick up two things from reading other IMDb users' comments about this movie: 1) It's not for everyone so chances are you'll either love it or hate it, and 2) The frequency with which someone adds a comment is slowly increasing over time. Both these things lead me to imagine that Major Payne has all the makings of a great cult comedy in the truest meaning of that term.If I were to offer anyone advice it would be to watch the first ten minutes of the film next time it's on TV. If the style of humour seems amusing to you, settle in for the ride and you'll probably be laughing out loud a LOT. If it seems dumb and you don't get it, cut your losses, switch right off and do something more productive with your time, that way you'll be spared an experience you won't enjoy. It's really that simple in this case.Me? I had thought from the trailers it was going to be dumb but it came on TV and I started watching. Straightaway I was laughing at the narration, Payne's excessively 'war-ey' attitude ("The sweet smell of mustard gas" !!) and his voice, which you will also either love or hate. The Apocalypse Now spoof had me hooked... I suspected it was going to be another one of those parody flicks like Scary Movie or Hot Shots, but was pleasantly surprised at the way it panned out. The story is by-the-numbers cliched stuff, but it is essentially played with a straight face - there are no winks to the camera. Yet it still works, because even though they don't let on that they know, you still know that the film-makers are aware how cheesy it all is, and in fact I think they are gently sending up all those "inspirational" feelgood movies, without being offensive towards them. This is achieved in part through Wayans' stand out performance, and the blend of realistic (Payne's behaviour towards his charges is apparently mirrored in some real drill instructors) with ridiculous (a 6 year old military cadet??!!) Also, the director's use of music is inspired - consistently over the top at the right moment (eg "Respect") to heighten the humour.Standout moments for me were the 'Little Engine Who Could' scene and Payne's "vision" whilst waiting at the station. Already I would like to get a copy of this movie as there were many many quotable one liners I would like to see again - as I said, it has the makings of a cult classic. I would recommend it unreservedly to someone if I knew they liked this kind of humour; to everyone else... 10 minutes is the cut off point!I should just add that although I was in the R.A.F cadets at school, and have a brother in the British army (a Major, no less!!!) I have not been through the 'boot camp experience', yet still found the movie to be very funny. Bottom line though, I can see it's not for everyone, so use your discretion.8/10 for me ? /10 for you
20 out of 24 people found the following review useful: Very Funny Movie, 5 July 2000 Author: Lon-17
This is one very funny movie. I can't believe that it wasn't graded any higher. Damon's character is very funny, and there are several scenes that are side splitting. His character's militaristic interaction with the young kids makes for some funny scenes.
16 out of 17 people found the following review useful: Damon Waynes is a comic Genius, 17 February 2006 Author: Montaya_111 from Canada
This movie is hilarious, I don't understand how someone cannot like this movie. It's a movie about a Major who was discharged from the Military, and was assigned to an Junior ROTC program, it proves to be the biggest challenge of his life. He's is very sinister and cruel, but in a funny way. The way he goes about training his Cadets is amazing, as much as they wind up hating him, they wind up to be like a family in the end. They are a lot of sight gags in the movie, as I said the humor is excellent, Damon Waynes is excellent in this movie he is intelligent and hilarious. There are cameos from some other people in the movie like Micheal Ironside, Karyn Parsons was also excellent as the counselor she hasn't done much since Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but this was excellent.. Overall an 8 out of 10
14 out of 16 people found the following review useful: This one's a keeper..., 22 January 2006 Author: ladysidhe from Hammond La.
Very rarely do I see a movie that makes me laugh out loud, much less one that makes me REALLY want to buy it. This was one of those rare times. This is the kind of movie that you tell your friends they just HAVE to see, and HAVE to buy to watch over and over.I was an ROTC student in high school, and while it's not even remotely as melodramatic as this movie, the drill team scene at the end brought back fond memories (yup, we really did cool drills like that)...Damon Wayans is just...damn, he's funny. The one-liners he delivers, and the way he delivers them, is too much. I'd love to see the blooper reel. If the movie was that funny, the bloopers would probably make you pee on yourself.It's funny, funny, funny.
11 out of 13 people found the following review useful: Seriously Funny, 20 January 2004 Author: scops8273
This was a truly fun movie. Being x-military myself I thought this was a great movie. I laughed all the way through from start to finish. The shooting of the bogyman through the closet door was priceless. The story of the "Little Engine That Could" was great. I hope that a sequel will be made where they have the blind guy and his Seeing Eye dog. That will be funny stuff.
11 out of 13 people found the following review useful: No Payneful puns here..., 27 October 2002 Author: Chandler81 from Brisbane, Australia
This film is a lot better than most would expect, largely because of two factors - the screenplay and the star. The script, while not particularly original in terms of its narrative, is superb in terms of its humour which is quite dark and dry in parts. "There's a monster in my closet" complains a frightened child. Not after Payne puts five bullets into the closed door.Payne's unconventional character is a riot and the film is balanced just right so that he doesn't become too annoying. And believe me, he has the potential to become very annoying, especially with THAT voice. Wayans delivers his dialogue in a manner almost reminiscent TV's The Nanny - nasal and grating. However, he performs with such dry sarcasm and a fantastic permanent grimace that he is a real stand-out, and ultimately the film probably wouldn't work as well with another actor in the role.For light entertainment value, 7/10 for Major Payne.
3 out of 3 people found the following review useful: One of the most underrated films out there, a true classic, 31 January 2006 Author: cpbeau from mobile, ala
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
This is a great film that you can sit back with your children and watch again and again.The story is taken from an old Chuck Heston film called Major Benson's Private War that took a serious "military man" and put him in charge of a group of children in an ROTC unit.Major Payne takes that story and inserts Payne as the 1990s caricature of a Rambo-esq "killing machine" - with an over the top slant to make his character comical in nature.There are some tried and true story lines here. Payne's 'tough love' motivates the children and helps them to grow...but he also grows as a person through his concern for the children as well as a love interest. The children at first despise Payne for his tough methods, but they learn to respect him. Payne sees emotion and caring as weaknesses early in the film, but he learns to value those. We see that the kids can have discipline yet still be kids, and the adults can be strong role models and be sensitive.Wayans's voice and high strung nature may turn some off, but they truly accentuate his character.The film has a happy ending where all has turned out for the best.This is a film you can watch over and over. Very few of the jokes get old, and you find yourself repeating many of the lines back. A fun movie that has appeal for both young and old.
5 out of 7 people found the following review useful: I am surprised to see some bad reviews here, 4 November 2003 Author: cooljoe6 from ky
I am a parent and very choosey about what content they view and I don't think children should see the movie BUT I would let them see this before I would Spiderman. Why? No sexual tone in this one, and no serious violence, just some sarcasm. I don't know what the kids may have gone through in the filming but I seriously doubt they experienced what the viewers did. I think the film is hilarious since the kids don't get hit by a car like in scary movie 3. Nowadays it seems you have to take what good is left in the big pile of shi@ and salavage what is still good to watch. I think it's never funny to laugh at child violence or the idea of a child being molested by a priest(scary movie3). I think it would be a bigger hit to bring out a Major Payne 2.
6 out of 9 people found the following review useful: How to properly correct child behavior problems, 5 January 2007 Author: view_and_review from California
As a whole Major Payne was one of the most funniest movies I've ever watched. The ingredients for this movie to be side splitting hilarious were perfect. Damon Wayans did an excellent job as Major Payne. He could have done spin-offs from that character alone. Then you add the kids; and it wasn't so much the kids as it was how he treated them. You come to expect a certain level of delicacy when handling kids even if they are the most spoiled, bratty, destructive kids alive. Major Payne took an unexpected approach by putting those kids through hell as though they were in boot camp with Sargent Hartman from "Full Metal Jacket". He berated them verbally and physically... he even insulted the only deaf kid. There was no political correctness employed at all in this movie. I enjoyed this movie thoroughly, only if the other Wayans brothers could make movies as good.
2 out of 2 people found the following review useful: Surprisingly good!, 30 January 2005 Author: fibreoptic from England
Before i sat down to this i thought it would be a stupid kiddy comedy movie like something off Nickleodeon but i was wrong, this will appeal to adults just as much (if not more) than children. It's about a hardened kill happy Major who doesn't have anything else left to do in the army so his commanding officer gives him a job training a bunch of cadets.Daman Wayans is fantastic as Major Payne and really makes the character shine. This movie isn't about a bunch of unruly kids making Major Payne's life hell but more like the other way around. The children try hard to get rid of him but their attempts are all futile. It takes a good three quarters of the movie before the kids warm up to the Major. It really is a bit too formulaic near the end but i still think that this is a top notch movie mostly due to Daman Wayans. This guy should be in more stuff. A really funny movie that is for everyone and just when you think it's going to turn sickly sweet in a couple of the scenes....well you'd better watch it to find out. 9/10
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