Guilty Pleasures – Super Troopers

I happen to be a huge fan of the comedy troupe Broken Lizard, despite the fact that they’ve only released a handful of films. Some of those films are duds.

This one however, was a pure mustachioed blast of fun.

Thorny, Mac, Rabbit, Foster and Farva are Vermont state troopers out to have a good time. Stationed in a remote area near the Canadian border, the troopers, avid pranksters with an affinity for syrup, have a knack for screwing up on the job.

But when budget cuts in the town of Spurbury threaten their livelihood and pit them against arch-rival Spurbury P.D., the five friends try to straighten up and fly right.

That is, until a dead body is discovered and a possible drug ring is unearthed. The super troopers spring into action attempting to solve the crime, save their jobs, and outdo the local police department.

If we had cops like these guys around, I’d probably be a lot more supportive of the local police force. That’s one thing that I love about the film, as the characters just felt so real, despite the absolute insanity going on around them, usually caused by their own shenanigans.

And there’s so many of those wonderful gags present from the team. From that opening ten minute scene that would make any druggie shiver in nostalgic terror, through to a mental game of seeing how bullet-proof certain objects are, or the constant hazing that Kevin Heffernan’s character goes through, it’s just pure clever laughs.

I’ll be honest, the overall plot in this film, regarding corrupt police officers and drug-smuggling, is pretty much lacklustre. But it’s secondary to the laughs present, forming a perfect vehicle for them.

It’s the kind of film that Police Academy should have been after the second sequel, as the Broken Lizard pull no punches with the material, including one utterly bizarre scene involving some visiting Germans, being pulled over for speeding, or the unauthorised use of a speed camera that makes our officers look like angels in comparison.

But as a light form of entertainment over an hour and a half, it’s highly recommended, with this little gem of law en-farce-ment.

Last Updated: July 25, 2012