There are many movies that get made based off a comedy routine. Yes, comedians play a fictional version of themselves, and it usually works great for television like for example Seinfeld or Legit with Jim Jefferies. And frankly, most movies based on comedy bit are not memorable, I don’t even have any examples, Bert Kreischer’s movie, The Machine is the exception. Based on his story of when he got involved with the Russian mob on a college field trip, this movie tells the story of what happens to his Legend and how he is called back into action along with his dad to rectify things. If you’re a fan of Bert’s stand-up, then you will definitely enjoy this movie. After all, his story of being involved with the Russian mob is one of the best 10 minutes in comedy. And I have to admit, it’s pretty genius to make a movie based on that story. But for those who are not familiar with the story, the movie is still worth seeing for the over-the-top comedic action that’s so ridiculous, you can’t help but laugh. And it’s a little bit more believable than anything in a Fast and the Furious movie. The movie works on a lot of levels, but what makes it successful is the on-screen chemistry of Mark Hamill and Bert Kreischer. Mark Hamill plays his father who doesn’t have much faith in him and doesn’t believe that any of the stories he tells in his stand-up are true until they are kidnapped by Russians and he sees firsthand the legend of The Machine.
The best way I can describe the film is it feels like a 2-hour SNL skit based on Bert Kreischer’s Russian mob story, but you never get bored and you can’t look away. Bert is a great stand-up comedian, but sometimes stand-up comedians don’t always turn into good actors. Even though Bert is playing himself, he’s fantastic. It’s probably more of a fictionalized version of himself, but he really owns the role and keeps you laughing all the way to the end. The real star of the movie though is Mark Hamill.
Even if we had never known Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, I think we would have always known him as a versatile voice actor and also a great comedian. His comedic timing is great. He actually plays the straight man between the comedic duo in the film who ends up letting loose and doing things that the character would never do like taking drugs The drug scenes are some of the funniest moments in the film. These are one of the reasons Mark Hamill steals the movie. The film has a lot of great action and adds kind of a comedic twist to the John Wick style of action. The comedic timing within the movie is right on the money and there really isn’t a moment that you’re not laughing. I can’t say for sure if Mark Hamill was the first choice to play Bert Kreischer’s dad, but he was the perfect choice.
I don’t really have any complaints about this film. It keeps you entertained right until the end and even through the credits. The film could probably be cut down by 20 minutes, but the reason it’s almost two hours is there’s a lot of backstory that makes the film more well-rounded instead of a straight-up comedy action flick where you’re just wow the audience with ridiculous action scenes. Sometimes movies rely too much on the action and not enough on the story. But this film tells a really good story even though the father and son bonding experience of being kidnapped by the Russian mob. No, this movie isn’t going to win any awards, but it does exactly what it’s supposed to do and entertains you. In a lot of ways, it takes right back up after Bert’s story in his stand-up routine, so you feel like you’re not really missing anything. The Machine is simply a fun movie with two great performances by Bert Kreischer and Mark Hamill. In fact, they were so good together that we deserve a sequel. Even if you’re not familiar with Bert Kreischer’s comedy, it’s still a fun movie to see and if I’m being honest, yes, it’s worth the price of a movie ticket and a beer at the theater.
