Epic Movie

Did You Know?

• Epic Movie grossed $86.9 million worldwide against a $20 million budget, making it an economic success despite critical panning.
• The film parodies 18 different films and TV shows, including The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Plot

Lucy finds her adoptive father, a museum curator, attacked by Silas. Before dying, he gives clues that lead her to a Golden Ticket in a vending machine candy bar. Fellow orphans Edward, a disillusioned monk trainee; Susan, a displaced adopted girl; and Peter, a mutant at Mutant Academy teased for his chicken-like wings, all find Golden Tickets. They meet at Willy's Chocolate Factory, where Willy reveals his plot to use them as a special ingredient in his treats. Hiding from Willy, Lucy finds a wardrobe and enters Gnarnia, meeting Mr. Tumnus, who warns her of danger. The others follow, and Edward meets the White Bitch, who convinces him to trap the orphans to become king of Gnarnia in her White Castle. At Tumnus's house, they discover their relation in a copy of The Last Supper and that the White Bitch killed their parents. They ally with Harry Beaver, Tumnus's life partner, to defeat her. Edward sneaks to the White Bitch's castle; when he refuses to reveal the others' location, she flashes her breasts, hypnotizing him, then imprisons him. Silas pursues the trio; Tumnus apparently sacrifices himself. The orphans meet a graying Harry Potter, balding Ron Weasley, and pregnant Hermione Granger at Hogwarts, who train them for war, accidentally killing Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, and Rubeus Hagrid. Captain Jack Swallows helps Edward escape, but it's a ruse for intelligence. Lucy, Susan, and Peter reach Aslo's camp; Aslo kills Silas in a duel but is slain by the White Bitch while breaking Edward out. After a pre-battle party where Susan gets drunk and vomits, disgusting their army, nobody shows up to help. The four siblings engage the White Bitch; all but Peter are killed. Peter uses a magic remote to revive them. Together, they kill the army and defeat the White Bitch; Jack's wheel accidentally crushes her. The four are crowned rulers. Decades later, they find the wardrobe again, return young, meet Borat, who congratulates them, but Jack's wheel runs over and kills them. Borat says 'NOT!' and claps his buttocks before the credits.

Reception

Epic Movie debuted at number one at the box office with a gross of $18.6 million over the opening weekend. As of May 8, 2007, it grossed $86,865,564 worldwide, with $39,739,367 domestically, against a $20 million budget. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 2% approval rating based on 65 reviews, with an average rating of 2.90/10 and a critics consensus: 'A crude comedy with nothing new or insightful to say about the subjects it satirizes.' On Metacritic, it scored 17 out of 100 from 17 critics, meaning 'Overwhelming Dislike.' CinemaScore audiences gave it a 'C−' grade. A. O. Scott of The New York Times called it 'irreverent and also appreciative' but noted the humor was 'coarse and occasionally funny.' Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle thought 'only a complete idiot could think Epic Movie is remotely funny' and called it 'so bereft of anything resembling wit or inspiration.' Alex Chun of the Los Angeles Times described it as 'nothing more than a disjointed series of scenes and references cobbled together as a backdrop for sophomoric humor.' Ronnie Scheib of Variety said it was 'epically unfunny.' The Radio Times said it was 'mind-numbingly, tediously unamusing.' The Chicago Reader called it 'the cinematic equivalent of a tapeworm.' John Patterson of The Guardian wrote it was 'an epic catastrophe.' The Times expressed surprise that Kal Penn would 'stoop so low.' The film was nominated for three Golden Raspberry Awards: Worst Remake or Rip-off, Worst Supporting Actress (Carmen Electra), and Worst Screenplay (Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer).