rating:
(out of
4 stars)United States; 2005; Made for video
Directed by Steve Rash; produced by Mike Elliott; written by Brad Riddell
Starring Eugene Levy, Tad Hilgenbrinck, Arielle Kebbel, Jason Earles, Crystle Lea Lightning, Chris Owen
Below you will find a temporary review for this film. The real (better, more complete) review will be online very soon.
I almost hate to admit it, but 'American Pie: Band Camp' stands really close
to the original 'American Pie' when it comes to being funny. It has dropped
all the original characters except for Jim's dad (Eugene Levy) and brings
Steve Stifler's younger brother Matt (Tad Hilgenbrink) as the new lead. He
made me think so much of Seann William Scott who played Steve that his
performance is kind of brilliant. Of course Matt is as annoying as Steve,
mostly because he looks up to his brother. He is send to band camp to learn
his lesson.
Multiple schools are in a competition there; the winning composer and
conductor will win a scholarship for a famous music school. For Matt's
school that is Elyse (Arielle Kebbel), a beautiful girl who is not that fond
of the new Stifler. At first Matt is his usual self, creating some hilarious
moments, but after a while he understand that to fit in he needs to change
his attitude. That he keeps videotaping the girl taking their showers and
other such things proves he is only changing because he has to. Well, at
first of course, since in the end this is a romantic comedy with Kebbel as
the love interest so some real changes has to be there as well.
I liked the early parts where Matt could be annoying as possible. They
reminded me of the best parts from Steve Stifler. Especially in the camp
where Jim's dad turns up as some kind of mentor there were some great
laughs. Then things are starting to be the same and the movie feels
perfectly it is time for Matt's character to change. In a different way the
second part is equally funny. There are moments where Matt turns into his
old self for some moments and you actually hate that he is doing that. You
have to give the movie credit for that. Letting the audience want him to
change is quite an achievement, something we never really wanted from Steve
in the original 'American Pie'-films.
What amazes me the most is how much this movie brings back the spirit of the
earlier films. It never feels like a fourth installment where none of the
original cast members have returned (like the 'Cruel Intentions'-sequels and
'Son of the Mask' to give recent examples); in both spirit and comedy it
belongs to the other three films. The embarrassing moments are there, but in
the end the movie cares about all of its main characters, providing them
with a happy ending. That the story plays on familiar grounds is something I
am very willing to forgive.