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FILM DETAILS

Certificate 18

Cast Thomas Mann Jonathan Daniel Brown Oliver Cooper.

Directors Nima Nourizadeh.

Screenwriters Matt Drake Michael Bacall.

Running Time 87 minutes

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Project X
You’ve got to fight for your right to avoid this

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Plot
Three high school seniors — Thomas (Mann), Costa (Cooper) and JB (Brown) — plan a birthday house party to enhance their reputation among the cool kids. Yet news of the festivities spreads like wildfire resulting in home-made flamethrowers, SWAT teams and cock-punching midgets.

Review
This found-footage teen party comedy starts with a fake apology to the residents of the suburb in which the destructive party action takes place. It should go further than that, and apologise to anyone unfortunate enough to watch it. Undoing, in one fell swoop, all the good work Chronicle did for the found-footage genre (or, indeed, that any comedy has done for, well, comedy) Project X wants to be a love letter to movies like Weird Science, Porky’s and Superbad, with a little bit of producer Todd Phillips’ The Hangover thrown in for good measure. Instead it’s the cinematic equivalent of someone chucking a brick through your window, affixed to a dog turd in a box.

Criminally witless – it’s a movie whose idea of humour is shoving a midget in an oven; then having said midget punch people in the testicles – it disingenuously presents itself as realistic and edgy, but shies away from really pushing the envelope when it comes to drug use (ecstasy and pot; harder stuff is assiduously avoided) and sex (boobs, no bush).

Surprisingly, some major talent – Joel Silver, Phillips produced; Scott Pilgrim co-writer Michael Bacall had a hand in the pamphlet that passes for the script – were involved, which makes it doubly galling that this film could be so utterly vacuous. Every line is misconceived, every situation entirely devoid of laughs. First-time director Nima Nourizadeh may orchestrate the explosions and the Keith Moon-lite debauchery with a decent amount of flair (although the ‘shot on handhelds’ gimmick wears thin very fast, and incorporates all manner of filmmaking tricks and professional camerawork not usually attributable to blitzed teens), but when it comes to comedy, he has the sure and subtle touch of The Hulk.

A celebration of stupid, a funfair of fecklessness, Project X’s chief fault lies with what custom dictates we must refer to as its characters. The main trio, played by newcomers Oliver Cooper, Jonathan Brown and Thomas Mann, are spectacularly unlikeable, the kind of unrepentant, nihilistic, vile, venal, animalistic, avaricious, charmless, entitled, sub-Kardashian, stunningly irresponsible brats who can destroy lives and total an entire house and neighbourhood, causing damage running into the millions of dollars, all in the name of getting wasted, and simply shrug their shoulders in louche indifference. Ferris Bueller they ain’t.

At no point does anyone act in a way that could be recognized as normal human behaviour. Being stuck in a lift with these world-class douchebags for five minutes would be unbearable; being forced to endure them for 90 minutes is as close to torture as you’re going to get this side of Gitmo. Cooper’s brash, bragging Costa, in particular, is the most annoying movie character since Jar Jar Binks. You’d never tire of punching him.

Last year’s The Inbetweeners Movie showed that you can mine this subject – the last blossom of youth, the indulgence in irresponsibility, the desire to get high and get laid – for big laughs, while approaching it with a heart and brain. Project X is coming at this from a much lower, baser place. It is possibly the worst film of the last 20 years. It’s certainly the worst comedy of the last 20 years, and is an utterly horrifying vision of Teen America. If these guys are the future, we’re all fucked.

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Your Reviews

Average user rating for Project X

Project X

The worst film of 2012; morally bankrupt and highlighting all that is wrong with humanity. This film is a perfect argument for why Jason Vorhees was right! ... More

Posted by JJB888 at 04:37, 31 December 2012 | Report This Post

Project X

It's hard to get lost in the fun of the party when the "found footage" is poorly excuted, it's hard to like the characters when they are all douches and sluts, and it's impossible to find anything in this film funny when it's devoid of anything remotely humorless. As a party, Project X is a fun and insane ride, but as a movie, it stupid and embarrassing to our culture. And unfortunately, this is a movie.   ... More

Posted by norgizfox at 07:06, 27 July 2012 | Report This Post

My slant on project x

Todd Phillips has been royally crucified by a large number of critics (most likely over 30 years of age) for portraying an inadequate and downright disgusting depiction of the current generation of teens. Of course, if you are indeed looking for a film to suite your mature moth-eaten palette then sure, this isn’t the one for you dear. However – if you are a Superbad loving American pie kind of kid then you’re going to find it enjoyable, maybe even amusing. Project X is in i... More

Posted by hillsy92 at 16:32, 10 April 2012 | Report This Post

This is the worst film I think I have ever seen.. I might on further reflection change my mind in the coming weeks but at the moment it's winning.. It's hard to know where to start.. The plot (plot???) revolves around 3 losers who want to hold an epic party to increase their popularity at school.. And that's about it.. The "lost footage" idea is as stupid and annoying as it is unrealiistic.. The cameraman (there is only supposed to be one) seems to be in multiple places at the same tim... More

Posted by sirrantalot at 21:34, 27 March 2012 | Report This Post

Do you normally review for the Daily Mail?

This was the best mindless comedy I've seen in ages, I laughed throughout (as did the entire cinema it seemed). There was barely a seconds respite, all killer no fillers. The most accurate portrayal of a drink and drug fueled house party I've ever seen, just wish there'd been more swimming pools in the parties I went too.... I agree with the majority of readers and reckon this review is way off the mark and the reviewer out of touch or the wrong demographic - are you a 60+ conservative in disgu... More

Posted by Dans_Vices at 15:33, 19 March 2012 | Report This Post

Bullsh*t review!!

I can't even be bothered trying to explain why this review is such a disgrace to an established magazine like Empire. I've always added an extra star to whatever Comedies Empire review anyway because they've been a cantankerous bunch for the last decade now, but 1-star for this pushing it. Ignore what people are saying about you having to be 'a braindead chav' or whatever cr*p it was, to enjoy this cos the screening I was in had everyone crying with laughter. I'm not gonna start bleating o... More

Posted by Bobby TwoTimes at 11:44, 09 March 2012 | Report This Post

Bullsh*t review!!

I can't even be bothered trying to explain why this review is such a disgrace to an established magazine like Empire. I've always added an extra star to whatever Comedies Empire review anyway because they've been a cantankerous bunch for the last decade now, but 1-star for this pushing it. Ignore what people are saying about you having to be 'a braindead chav' or whatever cr*p it was, to enjoy this cos the screening I was in had everyone crying with laughter. I'm not gonna start bleating o... More

Posted by Bobby TwoTimes at 11:44, 09 March 2012 | Report This Post

RE: RE:

L: Wild about Wilder I know we should all hate it but gotta say I wtched it on my Unlimited card in a foul mood & you now what! It cheered me up, yes I know it's an absolute nothing of a movie but if want to see some mindless fun that you don't have to use your brain for then this is the one for you. 7/10 agree. My mates and I went after a tough 5-a-side game and we all had a blast. Was a good film to go and watch to wind down, its very entertaining and I must admit it made me rea... More

Posted by Mojo at 08:07, 09 March 2012 | Report This Post

The geek will continue to inherit the earth, one party at a time.

Some films take their time to get there and some films never even make it, but Project X hits you right in the likeability testicles from the word go. And so I was won. I bought in, I paid up and I went along for the ride. I wonder if everyone else in the audience were thinking “yeah, yeah, I’ve been to some parties in my time”, as the film began. Indeed up until a certain point, I was still thinking “these boys are just partying like it’s 1999”. And then t... More

Posted by thebackseatdirector at 00:58, 09 March 2012 | Report This Post

RE: Project X

L: rubadub Matthew Broderick was a bit bland but the chimps were cool. :D] I cant think of anything else either when I hear the film title. ... More

Posted by shool at 15:36, 07 March 2012 | Report This Post

RE: Chris Hewitt - old curmudgeon

L: Cheeze If we are talking RT then 73% of users liked it compared to 28% of so called critics. ou know what has 73% of users liking a film on Rotten Tomatoes? Revenge of the Fallen. EDIT: Oh no wait, IT'S 76%. saying everyone should agree with my opinion but this isn't just a poor review it's a scathing attack on the film. hy, because you liked it (I'm going to take the guy who gave Attack of the Clones 5 stars over you simply claiming a film is "entertaining and funny", ... More

Posted by Deviation at 15:29, 07 March 2012 | Report This Post

RE:

I know we should all hate it but gotta say I wtched it on my Unlimited card in a foul mood & you now what! It cheered me up, yes I know it's an absolute nothing of a movie but if want to see some mindless fun that you don't have to use your brain for then this is the one for you. 7/10 ... More

Posted by Wild about Wilder at 13:12, 07 March 2012 | Report This Post

this review is dead right. I'd happily kill everyone involved in this alleged film ... More

Posted by artilleryman at 11:38, 07 March 2012 | Report This Post

RE: Project X

L: rubadub Matthew Broderick was a bit bland but the chimps were cool. sp; Damn.  Beaten to it. ... More

Posted by Invader_Ace at 10:12, 07 March 2012 | Report This Post

RE: Chris Hewitt - old curmudgeon

If we are talking RT then 73% of users liked it compared to 28% of so called critics. I'm not saying everyone should agree with my opinion but this isn't just a poor review it's a scathing attack on the film. If we take the RT critic score as a good spread of journalists then surely by empires standards you'd expect this film to score 2-3 stars at least but 1 star? It's as ridiculous as the 5 star Attack of the Clones review. Of course he's entitled to an opinion but from reading his revi... More

Posted by Cheeze at 09:31, 07 March 2012 | Report This Post

RE: Chris Hewitt - old curmudgeon

L: Cheeze L: Whistler Stop saying he's wrong for God's sake! It's a review; it's HIS opinion, not yours. ut his opinion is in a national magazine and on well respected website, his opinion is potentially damaging to a film that in many people's opinion is nowhere near as appalling as he makes out. He clearly seems to have it in for this film and it's a decent movie. I'm not claiming it to be brilliant, it's just entertaining and funny. 1 Star??? I bet he's the life and soul of... More

Posted by Deviation at 01:45, 07 March 2012 | Report This Post

RE: Chris Hewitt - old curmudgeon

L: Whistler Stop saying he's wrong for God's sake! It's a review; it's HIS opinion, not yours. ut his opinion is in a national magazine and on well respected website, his opinion is potentially damaging to a film that in many people's opinion is nowhere near as appalling as he makes out. He clearly seems to have it in for this film and it's a decent movie. I'm not claiming it to be brilliant, it's just entertaining and funny. 1 Star??? I bet he's the life and soul of any party. ... More

Posted by Cheeze at 23:42, 06 March 2012 | Report This Post

RE: Serves you right for rating The Hangover at all

You can't call a film dogshit if you haven't seen it. I got dragged to this tonight and was dreading it following this review, and I agree with above, Empire got this completely wrong. Yes it's silly but it's entertaining, and no I'm not a kid, I'm 36 and married with kids. It's nothing particularly new or edgy but it's entertaining... isn't that what films are supposed to be? This made me want to recapture my youth and although I never got up to anything this extreme it still revived... More

Posted by Cheeze at 23:36, 06 March 2012 | Report This Post

Serves you right for rating The Hangover at all

Dogshit. Not that I've seen it, or gonna see it. The worst thing about these movies is that they are NOT edgy or subversive, I agree with Chris. The lameness is the most offensive thing about it. Middle aged suck-cocker Todd Phillips is the Michael Bay of comedy, and worse, as Bay actually used to make good movies. ... More

Posted by BatSpider at 20:45, 04 March 2012 | Report This Post

RE: Empire got it wrong....this film is insane!

L: Qwerty Norris L: Kenny007 it's is not Lord of the rings, Scarface, godfather, Forrest gump,ote] hank god for that... te]But it's is not Lord of the rings, Scarface, godfather, Forrest gump, e] titanic? ... More

Posted by OPEN YOUR EYES at 17:02, 04 March 2012 | Report This Post

RE: Empire got it wrong....this film is insane!

L: Kenny007 it's is not Lord of the rings, Scarface, godfather, gump,uote] hank god for that... ... More

Posted by Qwerty Norris at 16:34, 04 March 2012 | Report This Post

RE: Empire got it wrong....this film is insane!

Funniest review I've read in a long time, it was almost Kermodian in its vitriol, boy this film sounds like a pile of shite, the type of crap that thick 12 year old chavs would enjoy. Now I'm just waiting for someone to say but...its not supposed to be Citizen Kane!!"ething to that effect. Oh wait..... L: Kenny007 This is not a "piece of art" film-making nor is it clambering for any oscars......But it's not Lord of the rings, Scarface, godfather, Forrest gump, titanic, Ben hur, et... More

Posted by Spaldron at 15:07, 04 March 2012 | Report This Post

RE: Chris Hewitt - old curmudgeon

Stop saying he's wrong for God's sake! It's a review; it's HIS opinion, not yours. ... More

Posted by Whistler at 13:55, 04 March 2012 | Report This Post

Chris Hewitt - old curmudgeon

This review is contrived and overly-negative. His criticism of the three central characters as "unlikeable." I couldn't disagree more - Hewitt's inconsistency is notable in the way he compares this film to the Inbetweeners. Costa is exactly the same character as Jay, yet nowhere near as objectionable. The film was incredibly funny, with a great premise and idea. I, for one, hope to see more of Oliver Cooper's Costa. ... More

Posted by JoKeRJaMeZ at 22:36, 03 March 2012 | Report This Post

RE: Project X

I would agree with the conceit that this is not a great comedy (although the cameraman Dax gave me a chuckle or two). However, there is something utterly fascinating in watching this party escalate from a broken window to where it ends up. The sheer destruction that occurs in the last 20 minutes is worth ticket price alone! I can identify with the fact that this has a fairly niche target-audience, but I think as an ode to bad behaviour, the debauchery and mayhem on display transcends the incons... More

Posted by lukemurray at 19:56, 03 March 2012 | Report This Post

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