Since any good epic movie deserves an epic review....
GNOMES ON A PLANE
The concept of gnomes that kill people has previously been explored with Mike Storch's superb movie Gnomes (coming soon to DVD,) so you would be forgiven if you thought that Tom Breed was simply re-hashing an old idea. However, what makes Gnomes on a Plane unique is the fact that the gnomes are on a plane. While the concept of dangerous creatures on planes has been explored previously, such as the Angel of Death in Final Destination, or the snakes in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Gnomes on a Plane brings the genre to unexplored territories...with GNOMES.
Typically, we are given minimal introduction before the action begins, and while the gnomes are initially unseen, their threat is very, very clear. As with any good disaster movie, we are able to count off the casualties as they happen. In a brave move for modern cinema, the Stereotypical Black Man is the first to die. This is clearly to contrast with other disaster movies, in which the Stereotypical Black Man lives to provide comic relief throughout the movie. This combined with the suddenness of the character's death show that ANYONE in this movie is expendable, further increasing the tension.
The panic induced passengers invertantly let slip a lot about their character during their shouting, such as Billy's fetish for bad languages, and subsequent dislike for Movie Mushu. This is also where the film's romantic subplot kicks in, as we learn of what we assume is the stewardesses love for Aaron Haynes, which remains unrequited due to Aaron's homosexuality.
None of these subplots are fully played out before the Gnomes make their next kill (This time a shapeshifter, the most obvious candidate to save a plane from gnomes,) and begin to announce their plans. This is where this movie loses points from me due to the readiness of the gnomes to announce their one (well, two) weaknesses. This is classic movie villain stupidity, and I'm quite suprised that Tom Breed saw fit to put it in his movie. It serves only as an excuse to introduce the movie's Anti-hero, potrayed by a Live-action Andrew James Thomas. This is where the movie picks up again, both storywise and stylistically. This difference between photographic Andrew James Thomas and his CG surroundings show Andrew as an outsider in an unforgiving world. A stranger in a strange land. We quickly learn this contrast is not without cause, as we find out that Andrew is a mercenary of sorts, demanding payment for his services, and only carrying them out when he sees fit - in this case, later.
The movie ends on a cliffhanger, leaving many unanswered questions. Have the pilots survived? Can they land safely? Will Andrew save the plane? Will the passengers get a refund as compensation for delayed action? Will the stewardess ever win Aaron's heart? How the hell could the passengers use Paypal with no laptop on board? WHY ARE THERE FUCKING GNOMES ON A PLANE?! At the time of writing, Tom Breed has announced no plans for a sequel, so we may never know. As a standalone movie however, Gnomes on a Plane is a worthy addition to anyone's DVD collection.
8/10
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