Rarely has a movie so perfectly matched its title as the new buddy-cop movie “Cop Out,” starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan in the first film that veteran director Kevin Smith (“Clerks,” “Dogma”) has ever made from another writer’s script. Allow me to clarify that the words “another writer’s script” are used loosely at best, as they are the only way to distinguish that Smith wasn’t responsible for the concept’s crimes against humanity and, particularly, film buffs.

No, the script is by Robb and Mark Cullen – a fact that should force them to immediately enroll in remedial writing classes. From the ridiculously over-wrought opening scenes in which Brooklyn cop Morgan is allowed to obnoxiously improvise his way through dozens of lines from other, far better movies while conducting a prisoner interrogation that would make Jack Bauer of “24” look like a model of temperamental restraint, to the mostly generic shootout scenes on down through the lamely written villains and “plot” that’s interchangeable with literally dozens of other cop movies, “Cop Out” is one big, sadly underachieving mess.

The film follows the exploits of Jimmy Monroe (Willis) and Paul Hodges (Morgan) as they try to bring down a Latino robbery ring led by Poh Boy (Guillermo Diaz, in an embarrassing performance). The gang appears to operate with utter impunity from inside a Catholic church, where Poh Boy is first seen praying in the front pew before his flunkies bring in a member whom Poh Boy orders executed. The bullet through the head comes right on the steps of the altar, after Poh Boy says, “Forgive me Father, for I am about to sin” and then follows up the murder by standing with arms extended under the Crucifix that hangs above the altar. In other words, we’re getting the most subtle portrayal of religious imagery since Smith directed “Dogma.” And since there’s an organist playing cliched church music in the background the whole time, who the heck is running this parish that allows gang meetings and murders amid prayer and music hour? (more…)

Should we start passing the hat around for writer/director Kevin Smith?

Smith, the mind behind the low-grade classic “Clerks” and last year’s “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” says he can’t get the funding together for a new project dubbed “Red State.” The film, ostensibly a horror movie, would be based on a Fred Phelps type character. Phelps is the infamous pastor behind the Westboro Baptist Church, the group known for its awful God Hates Fags rhetoric. Smith claims the dark subject matter is scaring potential studios away.

The Weinstein Co., his usual financial partners, passed on the film. And Smith recently hinted he might try a donation model to get enough funds for the project. Why is “Red State” so radioactive?

Smith has been cryptic about the film’s content … but the name of the title certainly is one indicator. One would wish Smith, or any other director for that matter, might see Islamic terrorism as the source for some horror movie mayhem. But that’s an argument for another post. (more…)