National Lampoon’s® Loaded Weapon 1

Directed by Gene Quintano, National Lampoon’s® Loaded Weapon 1 follows mismatched cops Jack Colt (Emilio Estevez) and Wes Luger (Samuel L. Jackson) as they attempt to take down a nefarious businessman named General Mortars (William Shatner). Filmmaker Quintano, armed with a script written alongside Don Holley, delivers a relatively decent spoof that fares best in its opening stretch, as Quintano offers up a blisteringly-paced first act that boasts plenty of laughs and entertaining cameos – with, in terms of the latter, Phil Hartman and J.T. Walsh’s one-scene appearances certainly enhancing the compulsively watchable atmosphere. It’s disappointing to note, then, that National Lampoon’s® Loaded Weapon 1‘s momentum takes a serious (and palpable) hit once it progresses into its decidedly hit-and-miss midsection, as the movie increasingly suffers from a preponderance of jokes and gags that simply don’t pack the hilarious punch for which Quintano is obviously striving – with the somewhat arms-length atmosphere compounded by an emphasis on less-than-enthralling subplots and tangents (including Colt’s tedious relationship with Kathy Ireland’s Destiny Demeanor). By the time the larger-than-life finale rolls around, National Lampoon’s® Loaded Weapon 1 has cemented its place as a decent-enough parody film that feels like it could (and should) be better.

**1/2 out of ****