Review: 'Wilder' Restores Lampoon Credibility

'National Lampoon's Van Wilder' (R)

I don't think I am alone in proclaiming that it has been awhile since I harbored any excitement when seeing an upcoming movie that had the "National Lampoon" name attached to it, especially one that has a tag line that reads, "The Tradition Continues."

In fact, I believe the last Lampoon movie that warranted a must-rent status was "European Vacation," and even that was a huge drop from the film that ranks behind only "A Christmas Story" in my holiday must-see list, "Christmas Vacation."

For some reason though, "Van Wilder" looked like it might offer a little more than the overly over-the-top humor that recent Lampoon attempts had offered. Maybe this movie would keep the shock value that Lampoon was known so well for in the 70s with the classic "Animal House."

The film wastes no time in giving us a good laugh while introducing us to the film's title character (Ryan Reynolds of TV's "Two Guys and a Girl"): Van is a seventh-year "student" at Coolidge College, and we immediately witness his "big man on campus" status through inspirational speeches to the basketball team, his mode of transportation (his own golf cart), and interviews for a Van Wilder assistant.

Meanwhile, Van's wealthy father discovers that his son has yet to graduate, and refuses to pay tuition any longer, prompting Van to find alternative schemes to raise money to stay in school, including topless tutors and party planning for the more socially challenged groups of Coolidge.

The mystique that surrounds Van is seen as a story by the school's newspaper editor, which forces an aspiring writer Gwen (Tara Reid) to go searching for the secret behind the college's most talented party-planner.

While Gwen first sees Van as a mindless, conceited slacker, she begins to see that his acts are much less self-serving that she initially thought. Her medical student boyfriend sees the change of heart in Gwen's eyes and does his best to make sure he doesn't lose her to someone who is basically the antithesis of his personality.

This sets off a slew of antics that, after one particular scene, left the audience clutching their stomach from both laughter and utter disgust. Yes, folks, it even surpasses the "franks and beans" scene from "Something About Mary."

The supporting cast is, for the most part, superb, especially Kal Penn as Van's sex-deprived assistant from the Middle East. Other familiar faces abound, including MTV's Teck Holmes ("The Real World"), NBA star Lamar Odom, Chris Owen ("American Pie's" Sherminator), and Erik Estrada (Ponch from "CHIPS").

The writers also brought in a favorite from another college classic comedy, Curtis Armstrong, who played Booger in "Revenge of the Nerds," appears as the campus cop who protects and serves Van in all his escapades.

Also delivering was Daniel Cosgrove, who played Gwen's boyfriend Richard. His quirks and anal-retentiveness perfectly compliment Reynolds' Wilder character. My only disappointment was the flat performance by Reid, who may be beautiful, but delivered many of her lines as if the cue card was just off-screen.

It is difficult to predict if audiences will be heading to theatres to see "Van Wilder," but in a month that traditionally leaves our movie choices slim, I would definitely recommend getting to the theater and enjoying what could end up next to "Porky's" and "Bachelor Party" on your party movie list. --Patrick Morgan