Review of ZOOLANDER

ZOOLANDER
Fashion  industry, models, male models, satire, comedy. Released 2001

DERECK ZOOLANDER (Ben Stiller) is a famous male model. He is three time winner of the Top Male Fashion Model award, as vain as Narcissus, and dumb as a post.  Quotes: "Words can only hurt you if you try to read them." "Eugoogiligist: A person who delivers eugoogiligies." "I'm sorry that good-looking people like us made you throw up and feel bad about yourself." His competitor, HANSEL, has a comparable intellect--he smashes a computer on the floor and wonders why he doesn't see files inside it. When Hansel wins a Top Model award instead of Dereck, Dereck becomes depressed and retires from the business because "there must be something more to life than being really, really good looking." Fashion agent MAURY BALLSTEIN (Jerry Stiller - Ben's dad), tells Dereck that fashion mogul JACOBIM MUGATU (Will Ferrell) wants to hire him. Dereck agrees and goes to Mugatu's spa, where he is conditioned to kill the Malaysian prime minister.

Whoops. How did Malaysia get into this? Well, the prime minister has promised to give his citizens a living wage. This will increase expenses for the fashion industry, so the style cabal has decided to kill him. It turns out these same people were involved with the deaths of several prominent people including Lincoln and Kennedy.

If you think this is insane, you're right. This movie is satire from the first frame to the last, and taking it seriously will spoil the fun. And it is fun, both in the characters and the plot. Will Ferrell's portrayal of the fashion mogul Mugatu is especially hilarious. Milla Jovovich's portrayal of KATINKA--think Natashi from Rocky and Bullwinkle--is also good. And by good, I don't mean nuanced or realistic.

In essence, this film has one gag--how ridiculous people can be. I imagine watching it in one session would be boring. But viewing it in segments while you work out (I do about forty minutes each time) breaks it up nicely. I give it ++++. Laughing at the sheer stupidity will get your pulse up to a run.