Home » Feature » Events and TV
Trite ‘Nerds’ movie best left in past
Print Edition
THE term ‘nerd’ today is still riding a wave of positive energy. Negative attributes that castigated one to nerd-dom — social awkwardness and physical slightness — have diminished in the Internet age. WeChat doesn’t care if you stutter, and a Weibo profile picture can be fake.
The positive attributes of being a nerd — knowledge of computers, an interest in once esoteric genres like science fiction and fantasy — are mainstream.
At this point I can’t get a taxi without using an app on my smartphone (except during rush hour, according to authorities) and scenes from “The Hobbit” flash by during every walk in the subway.
So it seems like the nerds have finally won. The movie “Revenge of the Nerds” could be viewed as the first salvo of the counterrevolution that is today.
It’s too bad, then, that this movie stinks. The characters are so by-the-numbers that they seem to be sketches that the screenwriters simply forgot to write-in. It’s a movie that features a gay character defined by being utterly flamboyant; a Japanese student obsessed with photography and with a poor English accent; a bevy of blonde, megalomaniac bad guys; and a character named “Booger” who picks his nose.
Sometimes, charisma can carry characters beyond such flatness. But only Curtis Armstrong (as Booger) seems to be having fun, and even the ever-reliable John Goodman looks bored.
If you’re looking for insight into nerd-history, or even just an entertaining movie, “Revenge of the Nerds” is better left in its time capsule.
Where to see it:
Dada (115 Xingfu Rd, near Fahuazhen Rd)
When to see it:
Tuesday, March 18, 8pm
Price: Free
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
