English actor, comedian and screenwriter Nick Frost has made a name for himself as a cricket bat-wielding zombie slayer in the comedy flick starring Simon Pegg and later teaming up again with Pegg to battle the aliens who tried to invade the world.
Nick’s latest flick Cuban Fury is a galaxy away from the aliens and nowhere near the horrifying zombies but very sensually in the hands of hot chicks, wearing of suede shoes, and in the sparkling and very sexy world of salsa dancing.
It is a comedy nonetheless and a British one at that, with all the works — deadpan delivery, sarcasm and above all, self-deprecation.
Frost uses his comedy genius to try and rise above this unlikely theme of turning salsa dancing with its sexy and cool innuendos, by mashing it with British humor.
It is not exactly a smashing hit like the Shaun of the Dead as the film tends to — at times — struggle to juggle its very wide girth and slabs of muscles to glide, swivel, twist and turn.
Whatever the movie stopped short at with sexiness, it makes up for, with Bruce’s awkwardness (Frost’s character) and the feel good moments that by and large, is likely to make you have mixed feelings, though it is never short of funny deliveries that just makes you laugh.
Rashida Jones’ character Julia — or Julio as Bruce likes to call her — was brilliantly beautiful, becoming the centerpiece and of the film. It drew the worst in Bruce and his antagonist Drew, played by the very wily Irish actor Chris O’Dowd, who played a similar role as General Edward in the movie Gulliver’s Travels.
Ian David McShane’s role as Bruce’s former salsa mentor Ron Parffit was kind of aloof and he never got involved as much, commanding the movie from a distance, sort of similar to his role as Captain Blackbeard in the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tide or as the king in Jack the Giant Slayer.
A character — despite his supporting role — that owned it, was Bejan, played by Iranian descendant Kayvan Novak with his nous as a fashionista and salsa enthusiast. His out of context comments makes him adorable and a standout in the movie which is completely dominated by the love triangle between Drew, Bruce and Julia.
Bejan, as a character added to the movie, which has an array of different and funny characters like the weasel Drew, Gary and Carly.
This was a well thought out movie and a well-developed script that included a heavyweight cast of British actors like Olivia Colman who played Bruce’s sister Sam and Alexandra Roach who played Helen. The duo were cast alongside Meryl Streep in the award winning movie The Iron Lady.
Pegg even put in a cameo. He was the Mondeo driver during the rooftop dance-off scene between Ron and Bruce.
It is worth a movie to go and watch on its face value. You won’t be disappointed by what it stands for — it is definitely a comedy.
