Search - Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny on DVD

K. K. (GAMER)
Reviewed on 2/3/2022...

Watched last night, quite the hidden jewel but watch your audience since this hits some high notes of crudeness and language. Jack Black, Kyle Gass, JR Reed (Jason Reed), Ronnie James Dio, Tim Robbins (did not really like his role though but he played it well), Dave Grohl, Ben Stiller and others shined in this. Black and Gass have quite the different voices that work in a special way. The musical Satan was quite the performance and the car scene rocked! A must for Black/Gass, Rocky Horror Musical, Bill and Ted, Meatloaf, Dio, Nirvana fans and most importantly, Rock and Roll fans!

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Paul R. from CHICAGO, IL
Reviewed on 2/13/2011...

One of the best movies I've seen.

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Not the classic I was hoping for, but in line with the quali

Boss Fan | Take a Right at the Light, Keep Going Straight Unt | 11/26/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Most fans of the D will likely not be disappointed with this film, the boys' long awaited big screen adventure. The film offers much of what we've come to expect from JB and KG (that's Jack Black and Kyle Gass, for the uninitiated) from their short-lived HBO series of sketches. However, those fans looking for something more, some great cinematic achievement, or the idea that somehow, in a movie, the D will be even bigger and better - saving their best material for this outing, may be left wanting.

I'll admit, despite my near-constant laughter throughout the film, I felt a little like the guys squandered an opportunity to really do something great and branch out from the restrictions of sketch comedy. Perhaps they didn't want to deviate too far from their original, low budget/low brow glory. Going too high concept could also alienate fans, and the D has a tried and true cult of them. But as it is, this film, about how the boys meet, make a pact to become the greatest band in the world, and plot to steal the Pick of Destiny, a guitar pick forged from Satan's tooth and handed down from rock god to rock god, falls victim to the trap many movies based on short comedy sketches tend to. You just question weather there is enough material to sustain a feature length film and warrant paying those increasingly high ticket prices.

For those hoping for something great, the answer will be no. However, if you're like me and enjoy these kind of cruddy, crude, rough around the edges, vanity projects from artists that have amassed some sort of cult following and seem to be speaking just to that cult, then you, while not being utterly blown away, will have a great time with "Pick of Destiny."

The goofy humor, acoustic guitar heavy metal jams, foul mouthed musings and broad physical shenanigans of the D of old are all here. The songs in the film are not as good as almost anything from the D's first album, as anyone who has this soundtrack knows, but the performances of the new tracks in the film are as self-depreciatingly silly as the performances of the original stuff, one may not notice, or care about, the rather lazy writing of many of the tracks. And even though I said the film feels like somewhat of a sketch stretched too far (more inspired scenes may have helped), there are several standout sequences. The opening and closing scenes are classics and alone worth the price of admission. A terrific and terrifically funny "Blues Brothers" inspired car chase, KG and JB's first encounter, Tim Robbins' cameo, JB's rock god dream sequence and their first performance on open mic night are all great moments as well. Still it feels like there is filler, or some scenes that should have been funnier, throughout the film. And after the terrific battle with Satan at the end of the film, we are sort of left waiting for an epilogue that never comes.

With a little more tightening and a little more care, it is easy to see how this film could have been much more. As it is though, it is still funnier - and more of a wild and crazy, anything-goes approach to filmmaking - than just about every other comedy in theatres at the moment.

I think, with expectations lowered, this movie will play better on DVD and with repeat viewings (perhaps the presence of a few friends and a little liquid libation may be the key to unlocking where the film's true humor lies) than anything of this type, where a large fan base has waited far too long for a film they have been clamoring for, can hope to live up to in theatres. Based on this, I am giving the film four stars (4 out of Amazon's 5, but more accurately I would give this film 3 stars out of the standard 4) as I am sure, being a D fan, that I was expecting more than I maybe should have and will be happy with this sitting on my shelf as a companion to their "Masterworks" DVD down the road.

And much of it really is damn funny. No point in taking that away from the film just because I thought they were going to expand on the Tenacious D concept. So it doesn't do anything that new or truly special. It succeeds as a comedy and that's what is most important.

(And if you're about fifteen years old - or 15 still at heart - you can pretty much disregard all of my reservations because you will no doubt think this is one of the best movies EVER!)
"

BY FAR THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER MADE!!!

Timothy M. Huguet | 02/02/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am only a quarter of the way through this movie as I type this but I can honestly tell you that there is no movie in history that even comes close to the sheer magnitude of brilliance, genius, originality and charm that is projected here. This embracing Master Work of Glory will go down in history as the Greatest Movie ever, and will remembered for generations to come for it's sensitivity and bravado. I can see 20th, 30th, and 40th anniversary Deluxe Reissues a la Dark Side of the Moon or Pet Sounds happening too. I haven't even started about the music yet either. The soundtracks' compositions are simply amazing, and incredibly beautiful. The vocal melodies, arrangements, lyrics, virtually every thing about this album is perfect. Every single track on this album is a finely-crafted masterpiece: sweeping, dreamy instrumentals with warm, embracing vocal arrangements, all painting pictures of youth and naive love. The melodies are soaring and lyrics seem deceivingly simple, which is just about the point. It's heart and soul on put on film, and it will leave you breathless from beginning to end.
ALL HAIL THE GREATEST ROCK BAND IN THE WORLD IN THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER MADE!!!!!"

Excellent

Alex | 02/22/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As far as movies about dumb, stoner rockers go, this one is top notch. Yep, even better than Spinal Tap. It helps if you're already a Tenacious D fan, but pretty much anyone can enjoy it to some degree.

Don't expect anything even approaching intelligent humor or rapier wit - this is sheer outrageous lunacy; the climactic "final showdown" has to be one of the most ridiculous film moments in history.

Bottom line: it's dumb, it's juvenile, and it's absolutely hilarious. Rent it or buy it, it's worth it either way."