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All TCU. All the time.

TCU 360

Students discuss religious topics in a small group. (Photo courtesy of tcuwesley.org)
Wednesday nights at TCU’s Methodist campus ministry provide religious exploration and fellowship
By Boots Giblin, Staff Writer
Published Mar 27, 2024
Students at the Wesley said they found community on Wednesday nights.

Review: “Here Comes the Boom” is lackluster, mediocre

I must admit that before walking into "Here Comes the Boom", the latest sports comedy film starring Kevin James, my expectations were low. I wasn't expecting a masterpiece, nor was I expecting to be extremely entertained. While "Here Comes the Boom" was pretty much what I initially expected, it also wasn't a complete disaster. There are far better films, but there are also far worse.

"Boom" tells the tale of Scott Voss (Kevin James), a former collegiate wrestler turned biology professor who, in an attempt to raise money to save the music program, becomes a mixed martial artist. The film also stars Salma Hayek as Voss' love interest Bella, Henry Winkler as Marty, the lovable yet disillusioned music teacher, and former UFC champion Bas Rutten as Voss' trainer, Niko. 

While the premise is quite cliché and predictable, the thing that really hurts Boom is the lack of comedy that works. While I chuckled here and there, the film is really devoid of laughs and, in a film touted as a comedy, that's never a good thing.

 
James' routine of being the fat guy who constantly falls down is funny at first but becomes dry very quickly. Standard gross-out humor is also used in the film and tries to draw some laughs but really just doesn't work and seems out of place.

This movie really is a tale of two halves. While the first half relies primarily on this half-funny comedy and trying to get you to feel sorry for initially unlikable characters, the second half feels more like a traditional sports movie with solid fight choreography. That half of the film succeeds. If the entire film had focused on being grittier and more realistic, it could've been something very solid. The fight scenes work when they try to be serious but really fall flat on their face when they try to be silly.

Ultimately, "Here Comes the Boom" is a feel-good film that had me genuinely excited towards the end of it, however predictable that ending may be. Once it stepped away from the first half's silliness and actually focused on the world of MMA and making the characters more likable, it really got me hooked.

 
It's just a shame that the first half tried so hard to be something that just didn't work. While it has multiple plot-holes and jokes that don't work, it's not a terrible film. It's just a very mediocre film with a lot of missed potential. I give it 2 out of 5.

Jordan Ray is a sophomore journalism major from Houston, Texas.

 

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