Average User Rating: 80% (12 Reviews)
5 / 5	take off your red shoes and DO the blues!!! sam's town (london,england) - 27 November 2007 i'm careful when it comes to recommending low-key films cos to know too much about them usually equals missing the point but i really think this film needs to be seen by as many people as possible.i can't get this film out of my head and that's pretty rare,even more so being that it's a romantic comedy,one of the least favoured genres for being thought about post cinema.most reviews i've looked at since seeing the film make a big deal of two things,a)it's similarity to napoleon dynamite and b)the main characters being either unsympathetic or just plain pathetic.they're both justified but i think both work in the films favour.i love napoleon dynamite,yet it's an out and out comedy.where eagle vs shark has the edge is that it's not afraid to get a little dark at times.they're stylistically very similar yet at no point did i feel this film was ripping dynamite off.and b),to me makes the film that little more realistic cos upon first meeting them,the protagonists seem(though a little eccentric)straight-forward enough yet by the end of the film are anything but(this fact is even referenced by a comic line spoken by jared,the film's main protagonist,halfway through the film).i think that sums pretty much all of us out there up,doesn't it?!!this film isn't afraid to venture into grey areas yet doesn't make a big deal of it when it does.at times you'll want to either slap certain characters or go rescue them but at no point will you stop caring.loren horsely's performance alone is worth seeing the film for,at turns hilarious and heart-breaking(if you haven't fallen in love with her character lily by the end of the film,then you might wanna think about checking your pulse!)and the film features the best use of a stone roses tune i can imagine being put to film.AND a cover of bowie's let's dance,which sounds pretty touching in context here.anyway,so much for being careful...my favourite film of 2007,eagle vs.shark is hilarious,hopeful and hypnotical,a must-see.like some of the characters,strange but worth taking a chance on... ... Read Full Review »
4 / 5	try as I might, I couldn't help smiling B. "go on, take my advice - you know you want to..." - 24 March 2008 I picked up Eagle-V-Shark based on my love of Flight Of The Conchords' Jemaine Clement. And while I'm not madly in love with it, I do think it was well worth the 84 minute investment. The strongest feature of this film is its steadfast resistance to making mullet-sporting, nerdy Jarrod loveable. Sweet-natured, awkward Lily (Loren Horsley) has a thing for Jarrod who has a thing for Lily's coworker. Still, Lily perseveres and wins Jarrod's attentions by triumphing in a video game contest. While Lily looks on, doe-eyed, Jarrod complains endlessly and obsesses about his quest to beat up a childhood bully who made his life hell. That's about it as far a plot goes. What we're left with is a portrait in dysfunction. All of which might seem overbearing if not for Lily's earnestness. And, try as I might, I couldn't help smiling by the end...... Read Full Review »
4 / 5	napoleon dynamite - BUT WITHOUT the mean spiritedness and WITH lots of laughs jrhartley - 21 January 2008 Other reviewers have already pointed out the similarities to Napoleon Dynamite. Obviously I picked up on this within about 3 minutes of the start of the movie, which automatically put me on edge, as I deplored Napoleon Dynamite. I didn't laugh once and I detested the mean-spiritedness of the characters. Plus there are overtones of Clerks by Kevin Smith, which I also disliked for its desperation in trying to be down with the kids. So, I was all set not to like Eagle Vs. Shark. But here's the thing: I liked Eagle vs. Shark quite a lot. Why, given the formula is so similar to Napoleon Dynamite? Well, firstly, because some of the gags in Eagle Vs. Shark are actually extremely funny, laugh out loud stuff, and the film generally rattles along with a good funny vibe, picking up on the nerd / loser / parochial culture in a League of Gentlemen sort of way, rather than the forced, unfunny smutty Kevin Smith sort of way. But the main thing about this film is that its got heart and isn't mean in the way that Napoleon Dynamite's character is. I couldn't have cared less about Napoleon Dynamite, he had no empathy for anyone and therefore elicited none from me as a viewer. But whilst Jarrod (the Dynamite-style character in Eagle Vs. Shark) does have a lot of the elements of Dynamite, he does also show some humility and also affinity for some selected others, which makes him more accessible as a character and engaging. You can believe he has a soul, whereas you couldn't give two hoots about Napoleon Dynamite. I think the other main think to think when comparing Napoleon Dynamite with Eagle vs. Shark is where they were made. Napoleon Dynamite - US - generally not a very amusing bunch. Eagle Vs. Shark - New Zealand - very good at poking fun at their parochial national steorotypes, and generally just an inherently amusing bunch with funny turns of phrase. Conclusion: A big-hearted, geeky, quirky film - Napoleon Dynamite without the mean-spiritedness.... Read Full Review »
5 / 5	A great quaint little film.. if you have that sense of humor G. Colman (North wales) - 17 February 2008 I, personally, loved this film. Its sweet and awkward, and it warmed my heart. Like i say though, its hard to put a finger on, but you have to have a certain sense of Humor to really appreciate it. If it were a series it'd be along the lines of flight of the conchords/ The office. Theres no goofy, slap-dash 'running into lampost' moments, they leave it up to you to do the laughing, and i personally laughed a lot. If you liked Napoleon Dymnamite, youll like this, If you enjoy Flight of the conchords, you'll enjoy this, If you Love quaint, cute and Maladjusted comdey, youll love this. ... Read Full Review »
5 / 5	One of the funniest films this year V. Jones "Snootchie Bootchies" (England!) - 15 November 2007 It's a rare treat when a film that seems so simple but has the chance to stand out does with such passion. Mixing comedy with sweet drama and some crazy animation, it's possibly the finest New Zealand film ever. Jermaine Clement is as hilarious as ever, a played down version of his FOTC character, but still as egotistical of course, and Loren Horsely is absolutely sweet and hilarious. It's most definately one that has to be seen to be completely believed, but it's worth the chance. Slow paced, elegant and often laugh out loud hilarious, cannot wait to grab the DVD.... Read Full Review »