Don’t…… No, really.

2 attempts and I couldn’t get through this film. It’s best avoided.

Some light relief

Everyone has their cinematic guilty pleasures…… Those movies we’ve seen a million times to get through a hangover, a nasty break up, a prolonged period in bed due to ill health or the breaking of a limb due to intoxicated reckless bravado. They’re generally trashy and without any substance whatsoever but we make no apology for that because they put a huge, slightly creepy smile on our face……… BLADES OF GLORY is one those movies.

The fact that the picture almost falls on its face in the last act does nothing to dent my love for it. Will Ferrell is Chazz Michael Michaels, the leather-bound ice sex god who seems to be partly based on Jim Morrison of 60’s LA psychedelic rockers THE DOORS. (Not the weedy James Morrison of current fame)
Jon Heder, who was excellent in Napoleon Dynamite, is his effeminate, pampered rival Jimmy MacElroy. The pair come to blows on the podium (a great scene) after having to share a gold medal at a championship and are promptly banned from the sport.

Jimmy’s stalker (who wants to wear his skin) finds a loophole in the rules that allow Michaels and MacElroy to compete as an all male pair and thus kicks off a series of great scenes where the 2 have to learn not only to live together, but to dance together.

Smells Like Teen Spirit

Of course their comeback story wouldn’t be a story without a threat, that’s where the Van Waldenberg’s come in. A brother / sister pairing used to winning everything; they try every dirty trick in the book to sabotage the man on man action team who are in danger of stealing their glory. This part of the movie isn’t nearly as good as the sections with Ferrell and Heder but leads it to a suitably climactic conclusion, the hollywood big ending.

I’ve provided the first scene where we first see Chazz Michael Michaels dance. It’s funny enough but the mini documentary that follows is superb. They obviously just gave Ferrell license to improvise his head off, which usually pays off…… Enjoy.