Zoolander (Special Collector's Edition)

Zoolander, a three time winner of the male model of the year award, goes up against the new kid in town, Hansel (Owen Wilson), and much to his amazement has his crown taken from him. No longer the toast of the town and already yesterday's news, Zoolander falls prey to the dastardly machinations of acclaimed fashion designer, Mugatu (Will Ferrell), and his evil sidekick, Katinka (Milla Jovovich).

It seems that Mugatu and Katinka want to turn Zoolander into an unwitting assassin whose killing frenzy will be triggered by hearing certain words of a song. In order to keep Mugatu's sweatshops running at full throttle, they hope to rid themselves of the prime minister of Malaysia, who is planning on abolishing child labor. An intelligent and intrepid reporter, Matilda Jeffries (Christine Taylor), who is also Zoolander's love interest, realizes, however, that something amiss is afoot. Before you know it, bitter rivals Zoolander and Hansel are joined in battle against the forces of evil.

This is a hilarious and silly spoof that is sure to make the viewer rock and roll with laughter. Ben Stiller is hysterical as the dumber than dumb Zoolander, who struggles to find meaning in his life after his modeling career tanks. Owen Wilson is absolutely endearing as Zoolander's equally dense rival, Hansel. David Duchovny has a small, but memorable, role as J.P. Prewitt, a former hand model. Jon Voight is funny as Larry Zoolander, Derek's macho, coal miner father, who is mortified by his effeminate looking son and his chosen occupation.

Jerry Stiller, Ben's real life father, has a pivotal role as Maury Ballstein, head of the Balls Modeling Agency, who claims to love Zoolander as a son but sells him down river anyway, when the chips are down. Ben's real life mom, Anna Meara, has a very small part in the film, as does his real life sister, Amy. Cameos by celebrities who play themselves abound in this film. Look for Donatella Versace, Winona Ryder, Billy Zane, Claudia Schiffer. Gary Shandling, "Lil Kim. Sandra Bernhard, David Bowie, Fabio, Lenny Kravitz, and Donald Trump, just to name a few.

If you are a fan of the Saturday Night Live show, Mad TV, and Comedy Central, then you will, undoubtedly, enjoy this original, silly, satiric, and thoroughly funny and irreverent spoof of the New York fashion scene.


A funny Film, But not Really funny.   April 9, 2002
Doulos (USA)
27 out of 29 found this review helpful

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Summary:
Relies more on ridiculous stupidity humor; (5 stars if you like this)
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not ridiculous situational humor normally found with Stiller. (2-3 stars if you like this)

The Script is ok, humor weak (compared to Stiller's usual), acting is ok (Stiller doesn't pull off being stupid well - honestly, I think he is too smart for that!).

Others may well enjoy the humor, but I thought it was too basic. So, whether you buy this and enjoy it, or not depends a lot on your assessment of what makes you laugh.

Story:
Derek Zoolander (Stiller) is the world's greatest male supermodel who is as dumb as a stick (sorry to all the sticks out there who feel insulted). Zoolander is targeted as the perfect stooge in an international plot, and at the same time finally loses the male model of the year award and realizes his limited career as a model. The story goes on from there.

DVD Features:
It has a lot of extra DVD features, butI didn't check. I usually want to see the Director's Commentary, but I think I need a break first.


Ben Stiller is Absolutely Adorable, His Movie Hilarious   October 2, 2001
carol irvin (chesterland, OH United States)
19 out of 25 found this review helpful

I guess I ought to warn you first by stating that I am one of the few people in the USA to love the movie "Cable Guy" directed by Ben Stiller. That movie was panned by just about everyone. I subsequently enjoyed his move into leading man acting. In every movie he's been in, I think he's proved his ability as a comedic romantic leading man. They are in short supply nowadays too so I do not take his success in that venue lightly. With this film, he returns to writing and directing plus takes the lead role of Derek Zoolander, top male model. Derek is lacking in brains in many areas, although he can suprise you in other areas with considerable smarts. Although I generally don't like brainless men, Stiller makes Derek Zoolander work for me. The supporting cast is also marvelous. Stiller's Dad Jerry has one of the best roles, Maurray, his agent. He is LOL funny every moment he is on camera. The competitor male model, played by Owen Wilson, is also quite good. I thought I'd die laughing when Stiller and Wilson, in their dumbest character modes, tried to take apart a computer, expecting to find real world file folders inside of it. This all culminates in the high fashion show of "Derelict" based on homeless dressing in NYC. Whoever did Stiller's clothes for the Derelict runway show was a mastermind of wearable art. The coat he wears on his strut down the runway is incredible. I really can't imagine anyone's not enjoying this movie. I'm glad Stiller has returned to directing but not given up on the acting. He's at his best combining them both.


Almost a classic   September 9, 2007
Bridget Sage (Albany,NY)
18 out of 18 found this review helpful

This movie is 6 years old and I'm just watching it now. I never really had much interest in seeing it b/c I didn't think that it looked very funny.... Well I have rented sooooo many Amazon unbox videos that I had run out of options so I decided to take the plunge and rent it. I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. It definately was much funnier than I thought and I had a few good laughs. The costumes and hair are hilarious and Vince Vaughn as Zoolander's coal mining brother who didn't say a work cracked me up. There is a great many "cameos" that make the movie worthwhile and even has Paris Hilton in it 2 years before she bacame famous. Will Farrell does an expected funny job as does Owen Wilson. I'd recommend it for when you are sitting home alone or with a buddy w/nothing to do on a weeknight. It isn't "American Pie" or "Blades of Glory" funny but it is definately worth renting.


Excruciatingly Funny   April 14, 2002
13 out of 18 found this review helpful

I am still laughing about this movie, even though I saw it several days ago! I have never seen a film that makes simple-mindedness, male modeling and the fashion industry so entertaining.
This is easily Ben Stiller's most hilarious offering. Through mind-numbingly idiotic international male supermodel Derek Zoolander, Stiller both skewers and winks at the world's modeling/fashion industry.
The plot: As the Malaysian Prime Minister prepares to raise wages for his country's impoverished workers, the powerful fashion magnates who rely on cheap labor prepare to strike back. Fashion designer Mugatu is ordered to dispose of the prime minister via an extremely dimwitted patsy, who comes along in the form of Derek Zoolander.
Zoolander becomes the perfect candidate when he looses VH1's Male Model Of The Year Award to archrival Hansel (Owen Wilson), and becomes disillusioned with the fashion industry. But, that's nothing an orange flavored coffee drink cant fix! Life is like a video for Zoolander, whether carousing with similarly dimwitted friends, working in a coal mine or facing down archrivals in back-alley 'walk-offs'.
Words cannot describe the entertainment value of seeing Derek Zoolander, male supermodel, working in a coal mine with his father (jon Voight), played strangely like Christopher Walken. I almost fell off the couch.
There are few genuinely smart characters in this film, but their presences only serve to make the rediculous heroes (and villains) more hilarious. Christina Taylor plays Zoolander's love interest, an intellectual reporter with Time magazine who finds out about the plot to destroy the Malaysian P.M. Jerry Stiller plays the soft-hearted owner of Balls Models, a reluctant participant in Mugatu's scheme. Finally, Saturday Night Live's outrageous Will Ferrell plays Mugatu, the evil fashion designer who programs Zoolander to do the dirty deed. I don't understand how any of the cast made this movie-I would not have been able to keep a straight face.
Most of the extras in this film are, were or can be associated with the modeling/fashion/entertainment industry. Some are mentioned by name, but you can catch others if you are careful and knowledgeable about such things.
There is not enough space to gush about this movie. This is a simply a piece of comedic brilliance that should be seen to be believed.