First off, I am going to admit I am a massive Rooster Teeth fan. I have followed them since 2007, watched every series they’ve produced, spent countless dollars on their merchandise, and, naturally, donated money towards their jump in media, Lazer Team. As a fan of the company, I was most definitely not disappointed.
Lazer Team was announced by Rooster Teeth back in 2014, alongside an Indiegogo campaign with a goal of $650,000. In a month, 37,493 people raised just shy of 2.5 million dollars for this film, breaking company records. Now, I cannot objectively look at this movie blind; my Rooster Teeth bias of course will shine through; but as a movie, Lazer Team shines bright..y’know.. like… a laser…err…lazer.
Lazer Team starts off as a ride that follows the champion of Earth on his journey to save the planet from an eventual invasion. With the code name Perseus, Adam is trained from birth to be the hero that Earth deserves; the recipient of a suit of armor (mimicking the armor of Perseus that the Gods bestowed upon him) that will level the playing ground between the humans and the alien race that will send a champion of their own.
From here, we are introduced to our four protagonists: Hagan, the sheriff who is plagued by his high school failures; Herman, the ex-football star/local drunk who’s life was ruined by Hagan years before; Woody, the town idiot; and Zach, the high school football star douchebag. The four unintentionally knock the suit off its course to the military base and recover the pieces (which bind to the wearer), and must deal with the consequences, and hopefully save Earth.
The plot of the movie is simple enough, and even predictable at most points, but that doesn’t take away from the experience. I will say, it is a formula that has been visited and revisited again and again and again. It is not overly original, but still is a fun ride nonetheless. Now, I will acknowledge that Rooster Teeth’s comedy style may not jive with every other person, but if you appreciate their form of tongue in cheek/immature humor, you will love this film. I won’t harp on it for long, just know that if you find Rooster Teeth funny in one way, shape, or form, you will at least get a few laughs.
Now, onto the nitty-gritty details. Is Lazer Team a cinematography masterpiece? No, absolutely not. It is simple, straightforward, and should be taken at face value. No, that is not a bad thing at all. Not every movie needs to be analyzed thirty different times to understand your life more. This is definitely a film that you turn on with friends, and just enjoy it for an hour and forty-two minutes. The special effects were alright, with the alien holograms being my least favorite part. While many reviews have mentioned how “cheesy” the explosions are, they feel right at home with the film. I have tried to find the rough budget of the film for comparisons, but I was unable to do so. I know that Lazer Team raised almost 2.5 million from the fans; I was unable to find the exact budget; and special effect heavy films and blockbusters could range from 80-200 million dollars.
Looking at the comparison, damn. No. It doesn’t stack up to Michael Bay films or other large budgets. However, given the funding and how new they are to this medium, it is a great, fun film. Also, to tack on to the end, if you enjoy Jeff Williams’ music on many other Rooster Teeth productions (Red vs Blue Seasons 8,9,10; RWBY), oh just wait. Guess who did the score/soundtrack? (It was Jeff Williams) Also the Barenaked Ladies did a title song for it.
What more can you ask for? If you like stupid comedy, with a ton of Rooster Teeth references, and a few familiar faces, Lazer Team may be just right for you. While it may not be for everyone, I have already watched it twice, and plan on watching it many more times. It may just be the cult classic that we didn’t ask for, but that we all deserve, in such a way Super Troopers was for many.
