Super Troopers (2001)

Simply A Masterpiece

Don't Believe the Hype

Absolutely Fantastic

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

Super Troopers' is - almost literally - a 'car crash.' It's a comedy about four (or was it five?) state troopers who spend their days generally winding up motorists (and occasionally catching criminals). However, their days appear to be numbered when local government threatens to shut down their unit in favour of another 'better' department.I say 'four or five' troopers because I couldn't really tell them apart. One was black. One was stupid (or even more stupid than the others - if you can believe that!), but the other lot were pretty interchangeable (maybe it was the abundance of moustaches?). Basically, the film has no recognisable stars (unless you count Brian Cox and Linda 'pre Gal Gadot Wonder Woman' Carter's minor roles.The comedy throughout is definitely of an 'adult' nature, so expect daftness and bawdy male humour. I don't know whether it was just me, but I didn't laugh that much during its run-time and you may be forgiven for thinking that I didn't enjoy it. Despite its lack of stars, maturity and (obvious?) jokes, it was strangely entertaining.I think you have to be in the mood for something like this and know what you're getting. If you're looking for something even slightly intellectual then steer well clear. There's no brainpower required to watch this, only an appreciation of severely low-brown humour. And, I obviously was in the right mood when I watched it, as I'm actually quite looking forward to the (belated?) sequel which I can only hope entertains as much as this one does.

Five Vermont state troopers, avid pranksters with a knack for screwing up, try to save their jobs and out-do the local police department by solving a crime. Just like with the sequel that was released this year 'Super Troopers' is a very forgettable, bland and just overly stupid mess of a comedy that even actors like Brian Cox (X-Men 2: United) can't save from falling apart. The acting just like with the sequel was just awful and none of the actors seemed to even putting some heart into it plus the cops are totally stupid to begin with and nowhere near as cool as 'Police Academy' if you this kind of comedies this movie is for you but for the rest of the viewers out there? Skip it. (0/10)

As good as any comedy ever made. This movie starts with an all-time scene and never lets up. I went into it not knowing what to expect and was blown away.

"Super Troopers" has that feeling sort of like a high-school film project where you follow a few instructions, and then you annex a few others, but still succeeds in maintaining its charm. Picture a group of Vermont troopers cajoling around on the job treating their profession like they are the hosts of "Candid Camera". And pictures these troopers to feel like their ambitions are more lenient towards stand-up comedy. And they thought that their training was by watching the box-set of the "Police Academy" movies. And that they are the leading protagonists. That's what this movie feels like.Set in Sputbury, Vermont where very little criminal activity happens,this causes a bit of a rift between the state troopers. Under the leadership of Captain O'Hagen (Brian Cox) and the city police under the leadership of Chief Grady (Daniel von Bargen). When a deceased corpse was discovered in Winnebago and drug smuggling seems to be behind it, the police and the troopers compete in their investigation for clues and evidence, suspects and for funds. The state troopers are also under pressure of getting shutdown, by the budget-minded governor (Lynda Carter).The troopers may be on the brink of becoming obsolete because as a unit they're really not taken very seriously. They seem to pass their time interrogating passerbys, instruct truck drivers to pull over with their megaphones after the drivers have pulled over and even going meow while striking conversation with the curbed driver. O'Hagen is clearly besides himself in stress over their erratic behaviour as he fears his job and his troop will be out of a job. This drug bust is the key to save their jobs, but the guys are quite out of league about the whole operation.There is a hint of romantic entanglements where a beautiful cop Ursula (Marisa Coughlan) starts dating one of the troopers named Foster (Paul Soter) which doesn't sit very well both the police and the troopers, but might still have some potential that might bring this case together. Foster not playing with a full deck decides that he and Ursula should get in the back of a cruiser. Foster forgets that once placed in the back of a cruiser, someone has to let them out.During their breaks at greasy spoon establishments, the cops trade discussion almost like you would hear from comedy factions like "Trailer Park Boys", "Kids in the Hall" or the cast of "Clerks". Which is fitting because they happen to be a comedy troupe known as Broken Lizard who were also credited for writing the script and under the direction of Jay Chandrasekhar who plays the role of fellow trooper named Thorny. Vermonters know he is of an ethnic minority, but can't tell what he is and keeps it sworn to secrecy. They assume he's either Mexican, Arab, Muslim, Hindu or anything.Broken Lizard started their journey as undergraduate students from Colgate who raised $200,000 to make a film called "Puddle Cruiser" and presented it as part of campus tour. Here in "Super Troopers", they might collaborate by transforming this movie into a sequel next year in which I hope has something good to offer there.As a whole, "Super Troopers" works well on several levels. It has a story going for it, which wraps up quite nicely when its done. But it still feels like a series of skits with a laid-back charm going for it. The atmosphere is at the most feel-good with a level of confidence that you don't find in a "Police Academy" movie. I can't say that it wasn't a terrible movie, but I think there shouldn't be any reason to see it again after one viewing. It's a good watch, but it isn't anything all that special.