It’s been 13 years since the first segment of the “Scary Movie” franchise came out. While a somewhat fresh idea in the early 2000s, the fifth and latest installment of the series only reiterates the fact that there is such a thing as learning to quit while you’re ahead.
The film begins with Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan, as themselves, in an obvious attempt to parody the found-footage films that have been dominating the horror scene lately. Though the two do their best to aim the jokes at their highly scandalized personal lives, their efforts ultimately fall short. The first five minutes are nothing short of tabloid-worthy events, mustering up an awkward feeling as the people on screen try to score cheap laughs by making fun of themselves.
Fortunately, the film shifts focus to Dan (Simon Rex) and Jody (Ashley Tisdale), a married couple with a newborn baby that begin to experience the presence of a demonic force. As the couple weeds their way through multiple ridiculous scenes, parodying such films as “Paranormal Activity,” “Mama” and “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” it’s easy to understand why the film was such a flop at the box office.
Despite appearances from several celebrities, the supposed comedy does little to humor audiences, barely scraping by with violent and disturbing spoofs that leave an unpleasant residue. Bottom line, “Scary Movie 5” is just another example of a joke that went stale years ago.