Blades of Glory (2007) User Reviews

Better than I expected

[violentsociopath · 7/10 · 30 March 2007]

I wasn't expecting much from this movie for two reasons: a) Heder hasn't done anything funny since Napoleon Dynamite and b) I thought Will Ferrel's shtick would start to run thin. Both actors played the type of character I expected from them. Heder gave something similar to the Napoleon Dynamite character and Will Ferrell was Will Ferrell. What I didn't expect was the humor. Ferrel carried the show and played the funniest character by far, but Heder didn't drag him down like I thought he would and the two worked well together. Heder was Jack Lemmon to Ferrell's Walter Matthau.

As far as the supporting cast, Poehler and Arnett were good as the Machiavellian doubles team that are the skating rivals to Ferrell and Heder's characters, but no one else really stood out. Jenna Fischer was lackluster as Heder's love interest and Craig T. Nelson did not make for a funny or interesting character either. Two people I thought would have been able to shine in larger roles were Andy Richter and Rob Corddry. Both are funny guys, much funnier than Nelson or Malco, and were underutilized in this film.

The humor was low brow to be sure, just like in every other project Ferrell does, but I happen to like that sort of humor, so I enjoyed it.

Surprisingly this is actually funny

[FilmFanInTheHouse · 7/10 · 21 September 2007]

Blades of Glory (2007, Dirs. Josh Gordon & Will Speck)

Chazz Michael Michaels and Jimmy MacElroy are two professional ice skaters, who after getting into a fight, are both banned from mens figures skating. Fortunatly, it is soon discovered by an obsessed fan that they are banned from mens singles competition and not doubles competition. Now Chazz and Jimmy must team up as the first double mens team and take on the team of Stranz and Fairchild Van Waldenberg, who are eager to do anything to get the victory.

I was aware of this film for a while. I managed to catch it on a flight back from Cyprus and i decided to give it a go. Surprisingly i enjoyed it more than i was expecting. I was aware of Jon Heder and Will Farrell but never really looked at their work a lot, but in 'Blades of Glory' they really kept me entertained. There is a great story found here, with some amazing lines, especially coming from Farrell. I'm not a fan of ice skating, and tried the sport and failed plenty of times, but i still really enjoyed it. It didn't make me want to attempt the ice again, but it's a film which was a lot of fun to watch. I recommend that anyone who is looking for some light comedy, give this a go.

"I just put them in order." - Jimmy (Jon Heder)

I liked it

[briancham1994 · 7/10 · 4 June 2020]

The main actors in this film are what make it great. They are very different and have an excellent chemistry. The story is funny and bizarre. I think this is much better than Will Ferrell's next film Semi-Pro (2008).

Hilarious

[lainedav · 6 October 2018]

I first saw this movie on a plane flight. Oh dear ! My hysterical laughter didn't go down too well with some fellow passengers. I had an interest in the movie from the start having been an ice skater some years ago. What a great mix of pure comedy and outrageous farce this movie is. Two guys who hate each other forced to make a skating-pair. Ferrell is full on, Heder is petulant. It's clash of two diverse personalities forced to perform as a pair on ice. It is so very funny and ranks as my 2nd favourite comedy movie of all time after "Airplane" (1980)

Funny, but no Dodgeball

[simonparker1990 · 7/10 · 7 April 2007]

Will Ferrel has fast become one of the most popular comedy actors in modern cinema. A few years back he was the man who did the great little cameos, the man who popped along on the rare occasion to deliver the most memorable sequence in the movie before running off with his pay check. Then something happened, suddenly he became popular. Anchorman displayed him as a force to be reckoned with, slowly but surely Ferrel became a lot more well known. And then something truly horrific happened, that truly horrific thing is simply called Bewitched. Despite being the best thing in a bad movie his career hit a stumble somewhat, he wasn't sure what comedies he should be in. He got a bit more on firm ground with Talladega Nights, but that didn't propel him to the extreme greatness I found him before Bewitched was made. With him also messing round with more serious roles in Stranger than Fiction I wondered if he could hit his stride once more. Well Blades of Glory sees him sprinting once more, its a shame then that no one else in the movie can keep up with him. You see while Blades of Glory is a very funny movie full of very funny ideas, its also a movie thats seriously lacking until the ending. The major problems are that the supporting cast are just way too forgettable. The main villains, while having amusing moments, aren't memorable, the coach is certainly no Patches O'Houlihan from Dodgeball, and the creepy stalker is so wasted an opportunity its almost pitiful. Jon Heder finally delivers a performance that is at least passable since Napoleon Dynamite, and as I've said Will Ferrel is simply brilliant.

So what goes wrong with Blades of Glory then? Mainlly its the hit/miss rate of comedy that affects it the most. The movie does have a lot of hits, and when it hits hard the movie is heading into Dodgeball greatness. The unfortunate thing is that for every hit you usually get a miss as well. And when the movie misses, it misses pretty badly. Thankfully the hit rate is still pretty good and the fact that these scenes are so damn funny you ignore the bad scenes makes it a still enjoyable experience. The supporting cast as I mentioned has problems as well. Will Arnett and Amy Poehler have the potential to be great villains, and the well staged finale sees them almost living up to their potential, but the fact that they're under-written and under-used is a big weakness. The central romance with Heder and Jenna Fischer is also a bit of a misstep as it never seems to be going anywhere and its not remotely believable.

Thankfully Blades of Glory has a superb finale that sees it at its comedic best. In fact had the entire movie had the wit and humour of the last twenty minutes then the film could easily be just as good as Dodgeball or Zoolander. The characters are also extremely likable, well the lead two are very likable at least. Heder makes his character interesting and still being reasonably funny, he at least tries to keep up with the comedic genius of Ferrel, he never reaches him but he has his moments when he almost does. Of course the genius behind it all is Ferrel, this might not be as good as his performances in Anchorman or Talladega Nights, but he's still clearly having a blast, and whenever he is either drunk or screaming you can't help but laugh like mad. But the scenes that truly show the comedic genius, have got to be the ice skating sequences, or at least any scene wearing ice skates (you'll know what I mean when you see it). Whenever the skates are on the movie excels, leading to the finale involving a routine to Queen's Flash Gordon. I was crying with laughter the minute I heard the song start.

Overall Blades of Glory is an entertaining movie that features great performances by Heder and Ferrel. Unfortunately it collapses under the weight of these two performers and nothing else can keep up with them. A great ending and some truly funny moments dotted around make it a movie well worth seeing. But don't expect anything amazing as it never reached Dodgeball territory.

Not without hindrances but very watchable

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 6 April 2011]

Blades of Glory is far from a masterpiece having a rather predictable story, hit and miss dialogue and the odd moment when a scene goes on for too long. That said, the film does look very nice, with striking locations, crisp photography and editing and the ice skating costumes are beautifully tailored. The soundtrack is simply great, very rousing and fits wonderfully with the well-choreographed ice skating sequences. Although there is the odd bit of dialogue or joke that doesn't quite work, the vast majority that do are very funny. The characters are at least funny, and not only do Will Ferrell and Jon Heder give fun performances but they make a surprisingly good duo too. All in all, a very watchable film if not without faults. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Blades of Glory IS Comedy

[AOKlicc · 4/10 · 31 March 2007]

Overall i would have to say the movie is nothing too special but is a very funny film i would like to see again. If you're looking for something to relax and enjoy a entertaining hour and a half with a friend, this is a good movie to go to. Will Ferrel is funny as in other films and fans of his will like it. John heder's character in some ways resembles napoleon dynamite with different flavor but it works. only concern would be for any young children because of the prevailance of sexuality. If you're offended by homosexuality there will be certain parts you will loath. But most people shouldn't be offended and will find this movie very entertaining.

Fantastically Overblown

[snow0r · 8/10 · 12 April 2007]

Blades of Glory is the story of Chazz Michael Michaels (Ferrel) and Jimmy MacElroy (Heder), two rival ice skaters banned from competition after a podium brawl at an "Olympic" event. After Jimmy's stalker finds a loophole in the rulebook (yes, you read that right), the pair join forces to reclaim their rightful position at the top of the skating rankings.

While it follows the predictable rise, fall, and rise again pattern of most comedies, Blades of Glory is different enough to be memorable. The costumes are ridiculous, the set-pieces are brilliant (including a very awkward chase sequence involving a crossbow and an unfortunate mascot), and the performances, what these films hinge on, are excellent.

The Ferrel-Heder exchanges are drenched with homoeroticism, and their struggles to come to terms with each other's lifestyles (Ferrel: "I'm a sex addict. It's my cross to bear" and Heder: "If you can dream it, you can do it!") are funny enough to carry the film for large sections. The supporting performances of the Waldenbergs (Will Arnett, Amy Poelher, and Jenna Fischer) fill in the gaps successfully, their conversations charged with an unusual mix of villainy and incestuous desire. Then of course there are the skating scenes, which are quite a sight to behold, in all their spandex-and-diamonds splendour.

Overall, Blades of Glory is hilarious. Pretty much every aspect of it is fantastically overblown, and it keeps you laughing quite steadily for its 90-minute running time. Boom!

Blades of Glory

[jrtone-49357 · 6/10 · 20 May 2020]

A lot better than I expected. Would make for great lazy viewing.

not as funny as i thought it would be :(

[khuniak · 5/10 · 19 April 2007]

Well a pretty cliché movie, was really looking forward to watching it and felt totally let down by ferrel. His acting seemed sub par and to be honest the whole movie just felt totally wrong.

The movie was very cliché, much of it seemed ripped straight from the movie "Zoolander" now that is a funny movie. Don't get me wrong there are a few really funny scenes and many that will make you cringe but overall the was for me below average and didn't quite pull it off.

This movie just seemed like ferrel tried to hard, and the entire movie seemed like he was trying to boost his own ego. My only recommendation is to wait for this movie to come out as a rental and save yourself some money.

Pleasantly surprise, solid comedy throughout the whole movie!

[revadirchy · 8/10 · 31 March 2007]

I saw the preview several days ago and figured it was just another case of, "put the funniest parts of the movie in the trailer to hook the public and then be disappointed later", but I was surprised and the comedic cohesion between John H. and Will F.. The dialouge was some of the funniest I've heard in awhile and the physical comedy was timed perfectly. This is not just another mediocre performance from Heder and Will that we have grown accustomed to. This movie really delivers and there were plenty of great cameos. Including Jenna Fisher from the office and even Nancy Carrigan. If you truly have an eye for good comedy, they you'll love this movie. I think it was the best comedy I have seen in awhile.

Not as hilarious as I wanted but amusing nonetheless, and with some good moments

[bob the moo · 28 November 2007]

In the world of male solo figure skating, two US giants are ahead of the pack. Jimmy MacElroy was raised from a boy with the single goal of being a champion, with the millions of champion-maker Darren MacElroy behind him. Chazz Michael Michaels is the opposite of MacElroy's perfect presentation – a rough and ready man with a sex addiction but yet undeniable talent. The two have battled for years but things come to a head when they share gold medal position. On the podium a fight breaks out between them and the pair are banned for life from the sport. Years later they are both doing nothing but getting by until MacElroy's stalker approaches them with a loophole in the sport rules – they are only banned from single events, not pairs.

Undeniably silly this thing but yet quite pleasing at the same time. We have seen this sort of sports spoof several times over the last few years and the quality has ranged with some highs in Dodgeball but others not totally working as well such as Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Blades of Glory falls more in the latter camp as it is not brilliant but still has fun if you are in the mood. Considering the idea behind it I was rather surprised that it was not constantly off-the-wall material but mostly it had me amused throughout. The plot is straightforward but serviceable. The skating is outrageously silly (although some of the effects do push it) and overblown in a carefree way. The script does have some really good lines but too often I found myself looking for more than the dialogue was giving me.

Ferrell is good in the main role and he works the fact that, ignoring everything else, he is still a very unlikely figure skater. Heder is very much secondary to him because of the differences in the characters but he is good value for what he gets to do. Arnett and Poehler do tend to steal any scene that they are in, while Fischer is an enjoyable addition. Fichtner, Nelson and others fill out the cast well. As with Dodgeball, I enjoyed the commentators and the script does make good sport of them, but I would have liked them to have been more a part of the film than they were.

Overall though, despite it not being the most hilarious or clever thing you'll ever see, it does have plenty of laughs and did consistently amuse me even it did lack that many really good moments.

funny, dramatic and recommended to watch

[tojofriends · 7/10 · 8 July 2008]

Quite honestly I went to watch this movie without any prior expectation. My friends had taken all the good movies by that time and I was left with few seeming stupid movies. I picked it up randomly or pseudo-randomly [:)]. I didn't even check IMDb rating before watching. For the first 15 minutes I kinda felt wasting my time but later it became interesting. The fun actually started when Mckenroy and Michel were registered as a team. Their first performance was pretty good. And then it turns to good comedy. Sex addiction, horse shampoo, My Humps, sliding of Mackenroy with bare chest, holding Mackenroy up by his 'pinus', watching at each others too what wasn't there. If you are cynic person you may not like it, but if you don't worry about logic and looking for a pleasant time to have fun then I recommend this movie. This could be a family movie too if you trust your children with a little bit sex terms [;)]. Maybe this movie doesn't deserve any nomination of big awards but certainly you wouldn't regret if you watch this movie.

Could have been Better !!

[kundan-nitrkl · 7/10 · 17 February 2008]

No offense to Josh or the Cox but I believe the film could have been a lot better if made less exaggerated. The story builds up nicely. Both Will and Jon are OK and so were the rest. The only thing that stands out is the humor and more importantly the skating stunts. Applause for the efforts. Will is trying to be original and Jon is trying his best to fit in and both have done it well to some extent. The bitter part to swallow were the occasional exaggeration which were tasteless e.g the jet-type exit of the actors from the stadium at the end. The climax was delicately managed but this one ruined it. After all its the finishing touch that matters the most!!!! Once again thumbs up for the skating and the beautiful Jenna and the "that blonde is a dude!". cheers!

Funny and worth a watch

[kelandis · 9/10 · 28 March 2007]

I saw the press screening of Blades of Glory last night, and I have to say...I haven't laughed so much at a movie for quite some time. Jon Heder shines in his role and portrays a character that seems carefully written to avoid any similarities with Napoleon Dynamite; I was actually surprised that there weren't any references to ND (that I noticed), since there were a few Ferrell lines that reminded me of Anchorman (which was just fine!). Ferrell and Heder work wonderfully together; the ice skating scenes are pulled off very well; and, of course, there are tons of quotable lines. Overall, a funny, satisfying movie (especially if you're into ice skating or Anchorman/Talledega Nights-type humor).

The best kind of ridiculous

[jalkazar · 6/10 · 28 November 2015]

Will Ferrell has always been hit or miss for me. He's great in Stepbrothers and A Night At the Roxbury but just painfully bad in films like Get Hard. Luckily Blades of Glory is the perfect fit for him and he shines alongside Jon Heder in this ridiculous figure skating comedy.

The movie centers around a fictional figure skating culture where outrageous stars win the hearts of the audience with outlandish routines and acts. Will Ferrell plays the rock star figure skater who is forced to pair up with the classically trained Jon Heder in order to compete as the first ever male figure-skating pair after an incident forced them away from the singles scene. Opposite them is the sibling figure skate-match up of Amy Poehler and Will Arnett, each as funny and ridiculous as Ferrell and Heder.

Blades of Glory works because it revels in its made up figure skating culture and playing to the actors and themes strengths without going completely overboard. It's no comedy for the ages, but it is a comedy good for a lot of laughs.

"What the f**k was that?!"

[sonydude32 · 2/10 · 15 April 2007]

The summary perfectly sums up my thoughts about this sub-par comedy, which is more idiotic than hilarious.

There were some moments in the film that warranted a light chuckle. For the most part, however, the "humor" was largely unremarkable and relied more on shock factor than anything really smart and witty. Now, there's nothing wrong with shock factor in comedic context, but you can't rely on it virtually all the time as it seemed to have been done with this picture.

Couple this with the ridiculously overblown finale involving rockets (I won't go any further if you actually want to see this film) and it all makes for a film that ended up not being real satisfying nor truly amusing.

Getting up to leave the theater, all I could mutter was "what the f**k was that?!" Whatever happened to razor-sharp wit and believable situations in comedies these days?

This film actually warrants a sequel!

[Rogue-32 · 8/10 · 6 April 2007]

From the very first second I laid eyes on the absolutely hilarious poster for this film, in my neighborhood multiplex a few months ago, I knew with extreme certainty that I'd be seeing it the very first week it opened. Caught it on Wednesday and I'm here to say the movie most definitely delivers on the promise of the poster, big time.

Jon Heder finally gets a role he can have some fun with for a change (which hasn't really happened since Napoleon Dynamite), and he's superbly cast as the sheltered and phobic Jimmy MacElroy, the perfect foil for Ferrell's sex machine on skates, Chazz Michael Michaels. Ferrell is fast becoming more and more adept at portraying genuine characters in his movies, not merely hollow caricatures, and he is clearly in his element here.

The beginning of the movie, the set-up, is wonderfully written, and the over-the-top tone that's established in these opening scenes is successfully carried throughout. The energy level stays high, the plot never gets tedious or bogged down, and, best of all, the routines that the two of them perform together as partners are truly hilarious and original. I was left wanting more, and that speaks volumes.

How can something so wrong be so right?

[kierz-2 · 7/10 · 31 March 2007]

Will Ferrell and Jon Heder in another chocolate and peanut-butter experiment from the comedy studios, end up being more like a chicken sushi roll, too weird to explain, and too tasty to not enjoy. Blades of Glory is to figure skating what Baseketball was to MLB, ridiculously and barely related and yet surprisingly fun. The doubling, L-Cam and wirework effects were pretty good as they were far off enough from reality already to give themselves enough license to do whatever they wanted. Jon Heder shows some range from his "Aww, shucks," persona of Benchwarmers and School for Scoundrels, and Will Farrell is definitely reaching somewhere between Ron Burgundy and Ricky Bobby for his Chazz, both almost original but not quite. While these characters work well off each other it is the very wrongness, the taboo breaking of having two men going crotch to face and trying to act like it isn't happening that makes this far more amusing retrospectively, than the sheer shock value of the infamous scene in Borat. Admittedly the latter had me almost hurt myself laughing at the time, every time I think of it since I want to press Delete in my brain. While this movie had me shaking my head, at least in this case I could look my wife in the eye and smile and shrug and be pleased to see her laughing rather than worry if I was going to get in trouble for bringing her (Like I write these things!). Considering the subject matter of men's pairs figure skating, sex addiction, incest and stalking are all par for the course for this film, it was surprisingly appropriate and easy to stomach, certainly a feat as memorable as the Iron Lotus.

Unwatchable

[ziggystardust17 · 2/10 · 30 August 2007]

I just couldn't stomach it. It was incredibly dumb. It was boring. I'm amazed that people put up with this crap from Hollywood. I'd rather watch all the really funny, creative stuff that regular people are putting up on youtube. Maybe some day, if regular people ever wake up and realize how much they are collectively paying for the soul-numbing, pablum Hollywood churns out, they'll figure out how badly they are being ripped off. Reading all these glowing reviews about a crappy movie like this is like listening to someone raving about a gourmet dining experience at McDonalds. Make your own entertainment. Boycott Hollywood! Don't buy into the advertising and psychological manipulation that you need to be entertained by "experts". Free your mind.

not THAT good

[critical_reference · 7/10 · 5 April 2007]

I went to see it based on IMDb reviews and I gotta say I think some are seeded. I'm a fan of Will Ferrell but let's talk straight. It's:

* better than Talladega Nights

* not as funny as Old School

* falls obviously shy of Dodgeball

* nowhere near Zoolander

Ferrell's good, Heder's spot on, Nelson keeps solid, and the girl from the Office is adorable. There are some laugh out loud parts (phone sex, cross bow).

But the movie's heart is off. Imagine the Farrelly Brothers were called in late in the game to gross it up.

Remember, Heder's biggest fans are adolescent girls! IF you're going to make fun of him, lock him in a __girls__ bathroom.

Not terrible. DVD funny, even matinée funny.

Not full price.

moderately amusing dopey comedy

[Buddy-51 · 6/10 · 7 October 2007]

In "Blades of Glory," Will Ferrell and John Heder play two rival figure skaters, Chazz Michael Michaels and Jimmy MacElroy, who are permanently banned from the sport when their gold medal tie results in a fisticuffs melee on the arena ice. After the men go their separate ways for awhile, Jimmy learns of a loophole in the rules which would allow them to return to skating but only if they compete in the doubles category. Even though the two men hate each other with the heat of a thousand white-hot suns and they would be the first all-male duo in the history of competitive skating, Chazz and Jimmy agree to bury the hatchet and take a stab at mounting a comeback. The fact that the two of them are complete opposites in terms of demeanor and style - Jimmy is a cupie-faced innocent while Chazz is a swaggering macho man, both on the ice and off - only adds to the absurdity.

"Blades of Glory" never aspires to be anything more than a dopey, crowd-pleasing, mainstream comedy, and, as such, it generally hits the mark. It's true that it runs out of comic steam from time to time and that it is more amusing when the two men are arch rivals than when they are the best of friends, but there are enough laughs to make the film decent fun for the not-too-critical viewer. Ferrell and Heder make an enjoyable comic team, while acting stalwart Craig T. Nelson provides just the right balance as their winning-obsessed coach. As the evil, self-absorbed sister-and-brother duo determined to sabotage the boys' chances, Amy Poehler and Will Arnett, fine comic actors under most other circumstances, are burdened here with having to bring to life two overly broad stereotypes. Despite their talents, that effort ultimately exceeds their grasp.

Special note should be made of the amazing CGI work, without which this film could never have been made. Even though we know none of these actors could possibly be doing any of these skating moves in real life, we are thoroughly convinced of its verisimilitude for the duration of the film. And the movie does a nice job lampooning all the snazzy graphics, corny biographical features, and sappy, self-important commentary that have become a staple of modern TV sports programming.

a comedy working from used parts, never gets off the tracks of being just a ludicrously stupid farce

[Quinoa1984 · 7/10 · 1 April 2007]

Blades of Glory is in part a spoof on the trashy romantic ice-skating drama The Cutting Edge, only this time playing off more-so on the homosexual subtexts of men in ice skating and in the utter lack of shame in Will Ferrell. It also co-stars Jon Heder, but aside from one or two big moments (like his scene in the toilet stall, or in some of his happy-go-lucky bits of dialog) it's really Ferrell's show here as comic impresario. Somehow, Ferrell's shtick doesn't get too tiresome, at least just yet, because of how much effort he puts into being a stupid louse. But a stupid louse that has a level of intelligence, because as one could see from past Ferrell movies his level of comic timing, with the emphasis on the immature and the inane in verbal terms as well as on top of the physical stuff (just seeing his body is a crack-up, especially here with his multiple tattoos), it somehow works for the end goal of the filmmakers. There's so many goofy bits here that one may overlook how anything story-wise has been used more times than I'd care to think about with sports movies- which is part of the point of the lampooning.

Ferrell and Heder are competitive ice-skaters, banned due to a fight during their equal gold-medal awards, and only get back into the competitions by going as a duo, which raises some obvious eyebrows. Then there's the whole rift between the dastardly brother/sister team (Will Arnett and Amy Poehler), the grueling training sessions where their trainer (an underrated comic actor in Craig T Nelson) prompts them on impossible North Korean skating moves of death, and a love interest in an assistant/sibling to the villains for Heder's character. Nothing to get excited about on that front, the actors then base everything for laughs on attitude (how the skaters do their "acts" during skating), facial expressions (Ferrell drunk during the kiddie ice-skating show), the go-for-broke gay jokes at the expense of the stars (an Aerosmith song has been rarely used to such an effect), and just other off-the-wall humor. It's all very obvious, but the wink and the nod doesn't disappoint. It might for some; by now Ferrell's been in more than one sport-spoof, and he's likely to be in more of them. But it also allows for him, as well as Heder and others, some ample comic opportunities. One of the funniest bits for my money is in a chase on skates between Arnet and Ferrell that leads them to the arena- but still on skates.

It's goofiness completely for the sake of the audience, and though it doesn't spark up really remarkable comedy moments like in Anchorman and Talladega Nights, it's good to take the edge off on a Sunday afternoon; it's the kind of comedy that will work best with a bunch of friends anticipating that within the PG-13 range anything goes.

This year's worst movie so far

[dirkwildenborg · 1/10 · 2 May 2007]

First let me get this straight: This production has nothing to do with art. It is about moneymaking and moneymaking only.

There are no clever jokes here; this movie's definition of fun resembles the word "straight" in the first line I wrote being torn out of context and used in a practical situation. Every supposed laugh is based on clichéd gagging and tired stereotypes. This movie even bypasses logic, when needed, to give way to these "jokes". Some kind of "sex addict" (I didn't make that up; the movie actually makes use of this given) who can skate with the best but is at the same time dramatically out of shape? Sounds awesome!

Also, how exactly is it "funny" that a guy like him skates the way he does? Where does it make sense that in figure skating, a macho with sex appeal but without any skating techniques wins prizes?

The movie spends no time on character development, except for the hideous scene where the awesome sex addict explains how he got his tattoos - this of course will turn out to score high numbers on the scale of all-time idiocy. It also flat out screams 'homophobic'. The antagonists (stereotyped gayish brother and sister, where everything gay = evil/bad/unworthy of success and needs to be defeated...) are horrendously designed and perform miserably.

The plot is non-existent: two guys who can't stand each other (but can relate anyway due to one thing they have in common) end up doing two things:

-either liking or disliking the other -either winning or losing a final showdown

What ever will it be?! Can you stand the tension???

The script for this disaster is thus pure lameness and doesn't care about morale or reason. If I were gay, I'd feel insulted by this movie. If I were a figure skater, I would feel insulted by this movie. If I were Korean, I'd feel insulted. If I were human, I'd feel insulted. Oh.

I hate this production from the bottom of my heart. Just when I thought I knew what lame was, I saw this and wow, I didn't know lame looked like two idiots getting paid lots of money for pretending to be skaters and doing other dumb stuff nobody cares about? Thanks for pointing this out Will Ferell!

If you wanna see this kind of movie done right, go see "Stuck on you". It isn't perfect but it is fun and has class.

Very funny, very silly

[blanche-2 · 8/10 · 25 November 2007]

I skip most current comedies because the humor is geared to the lowest common denominator, and I prefer the screwball comedies of the '30s and the more sophisticated comedies. So normally I wouldn't have seen "Blades of Glory" except that I am a figure skating fan. It's the story of two top American figure skaters, Chazz and Jimmy (played by Will Ferrell and John Heder), two bitter enemies, who, after a fight on the winners podium are stripped of their medals and banned from skating. Jimmy ends up working in a sports shoe store and Chazz wears a costume in a children's' skating shoe. Jimmy's stalker finds a notation in the rule book that indicates that he only can't re-enter the mens single competition. It says nothing about pairs. Unable to find a female partner, Jimmy's old coach hooks him up with the macho, drunken Chazz Michael Michaels, who was skating's bad boy.

This is a very funny film with good acting, good characterizations, amazing skating, and a lot of slapstick. Particularly if you're a figure skating fan and have followed it over the years, you will appreciate the enthusiasm and seriousness of the commentators, in particular, Scott Hamilton. I have no idea how he kept a straight face, but it made the film even funnier. The routines, the costumes - the whole parody of the skating world is perfect. I especially liked the Van Waldenbergs' irreverent routine based on the JFK-Marilyn Monroe romance, which begins with Kennedy saying "Ich bin ein Berliner" and has Marilyn, in her famous white dress with the halter top, popping pills and posing as she did over the street grate in "The Seven Year Itch." HILARIOUS.

The references to skating stars like Michelle Kwan, who supposedly wanted to marry the Will Ferrell character, Oksana Baiul (who is colder than dry ice? OKSANA) and Kristy Yamaguchi was especially appreciated, as was seeing Brian Boitano, Dorothy Hamill, Peggy Fleming and Nancy Kerrigan in the film.

It was one laugh out loud moment after another. Even if this type of movie with its sporadic vulgarity and sex jokes isn't for you, if you've been a fan of figure skating in the past 10 years and remember the Nancy-Tanya debacle, you will enjoy "Blades of Glory."