As one reviewer put it, this movie aims low and hits the target bang on.

The Watch is about four guys who form a neighbourhood watch in small town Ohio and find themselves fighting aliens who have taken over the local Costco store in their plans to destroy earth.

The four guys, including Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill and Richard Ayoade, are all more or less infantile, foul-mouthed morons and (except for Stiller’s character) much more interested in carousing and drinking beer than solving the bloody murder of a night watchman at the Costco store. But they still pull together to fight the nasty, reptilian aliens who are best killed by being shot in the testicles.

Now as crude and rude and silly as this movie usually is, there are also some good laughs, often in reference to other movies. Every supporting character, as well as the four main ones, are just a little strange and off, from the dim-witted town cop to Stiller’s weird neighbour or his frustrated wife.

The problem, as with most bad movies, is the script, co-written by Seth Rogen. There are some good ideas and the four stars do their best, but it often lacks logic, coherence and consistency. After awhile, vulgarity ceases to be funny and is just boring.

But The Watch does have everything a certain segment of the audience could desire: lots of swearing and lots of jokes about body fluids, female nudity, guns, explosions and yucky special effects.

Rating: two deer out of five

New on Video

Nothing worth mentioning, although The Lorax is out next week.

Alf Cryderman is a Red Deer freelance writer and old movie buff.