WILDÂ
WACKY
AND CRAZY
RIDE
PROJECT X
By John Delia
No doubt about it Project X will go viral to the teen/twenties and drive up the box office into the $40 million plus range. Crammed with sight gags, crude language, dangerous stunts, bare breasts, sexual romps, drunken fights, drugged out stupors, a badass little person that delivers some bruising groin shots and more, this film doesn’t hold back a thing. Project X even comes with a warning to parents and police. The only reason I’m also recommending this to adults, self-defense.
The plot of Project X could have been written by most any teen wanting to make a splash by throwing the most radical party ever with a payoff of instant popularity; you know, a ‘game changer’. Thomas was born on his parent’s anniversary, but instead of celebrating his birthday with him they have decided to take a romantic weekend trip. Their gift to Thomas is the run of the house and permission to have some friends over to help him observe his 17th birthday.
Being Friday the last day of school before the weekend, Thomas (Thomas Mann) along with his high school outsider buddies Costa (Oliver Cooper) and J.B. (Jonathan Daniel Brown) see this as a chance to invite some chicks to his house and get it on and be cool for an evening. Their challenge no more than 50 kids so the party can be controlled. Costa takes the lead and spreads the word among the good looking girls, who then text all their friends, who Twitter and Facebook, etc. Well you know where this is going. What started out to be a few sloppy kisses, drinks and maybe a hook-up turns into a wild and whacked-out party to end all parties.
Masterfully filmed with hand-held and security cameras much like the recent Chronicle you immediately get the feel you are there, a fly on the wall witnessing the real deal. Director Nima Nourizadeh gets his actors to play out their roles showing their excitement for their newfound fortune with dreams of having a party that will get them their first sexual encounter and get respect from their fellow students. Taking actors from all over the United States who auditioned for the roles, the fresh faces make the story more believable counterbalancing the fictional aspect of the film. Nouriszadeh’s just as new as his cast, but I’m sure he will have a lot of offers after this film cleans up at the box-office. Â
Producer Todd Phillips who gave us The Hangover films assembles a creative crew used to working with teens, large groups and high-energy films enlisting the likes of Cinematographer Ken Seng (Step-up 3D, Sorority Row), Writer Michael Bacall (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, 21 Jump Street), Production Deisgner Bill Brezki (The Hangover, Flipped), Visual Effects Producer Jamison Huber (Iron Man II, The Last Airbender) and Stunt Coordinator Allan Graf (The Hangover II). With a huge task of putting all the elements together the amazing results tell the tale. Keeping the home video look throughout but without the jiggle in most films of this ilk, the camera crew, stunt men, special effects take the reasonably convincing story and create a wild party followed by mass hysteria giving the movie the necessary realistic feel of an actual event out of control.
Another thing that works over other teen driven films is the hip music track featuring thirteen high-energy tunes by Posha T, Kid Cudi, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Nas, Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg, Pitbull & Far East Movement, J-Kwan, A-Trak, AMG, Shiny Toy Guns, Wale, D12 and MGK. The soundtrack in the film tops ‘bitchin’ with accolades like ‘killer’, ‘riotous’, ‘raunchy†and ‘ridiculous’.Â
I am a fan of Chronicle, but after seeing Project X ramp up the energy, raise the bar in creativity and make this film look like it may have happened there’s no question in my mind that “that party was the dope.â€
The film has been rated R by the MPAA for crude and sexual content throughout, nudity, drugs, drinking, pervasive language, reckless behavior and mayhem—all involving teens. It also comes with a warning before the film begins to parents and police everywhere.
FINAL ANALYSIS: Teens: what plays in this film, stays in this film. (A)
ADDITIONAL FILM INFORMATION:
- Cast: Thomas Mann, Jonathan Daniel Brown, Oliver Cooper, Dax Flame, Kirby Bliss Blanton, Alexis Knapp and Miles Teller
- Directed by: Nima Nourizadeh
- MPAA Rating: for crude and sexual content throughout, nudity, drugs, drinking, pervasive language, reckless behavior and mayhem—all involving teens.
- Genre: Comedy, Mature Teens
- Running Time: 1 hr 28 min
- Opening Date: March 2, 2012
- Distributed by: Warner Bros.