AMERICAN PIE PRESENTS BAND CAMP / Steve Rash (2005)

February 9th, 2006 by Scott Marks

American Pie Presents Band Camp (2005)

Directed by: Steve Rash

Written by: Adam Herz, Brad Riddell

Genres: Tenn Comedy, Sequel

Cast: Eugene Levy, Tad Hilgenbrink, Arielle Kebbel, Jason Earles, Crystle Lightning, Jun Hee Lee, Matt Barr, Chris Owen, Lauren C. Mayhew, Angela Little, Rachel Veltri, Timothy Stack, Ginger Lynn Allen, Russell Howard, Carla Alapont

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Running Time: 94 min.

The fourth installment finds all the stars from the first three (unless you count Chris Owen, the “Screech” in the woodpile) conspicuously absent. Although the trailer played my local multiplex, the finished product went direct-to-video in an unrated, seven-minute longer version.

With Seann William Scott moving on to better projects (The Dukes of Hazzard, Ice Age 2) and bigger paychecks, it didn’t take the producers too long to come up with a Stiffler, Jr., Steve’s younger brother Matt (Tad Hilgenbrink). Matt’s opening salvo consists of coating the graduation band’s instruments with pepper spray so they’ll break out crying. It climaxes when a traveling curtain falls and reveals a bare-assed Stiffler wiping excess pepper liquid from his crotch. Matt is condemned to band camp where he’ll spend the summer (and remainder of the film) playing practical jokes on younger kids and fall in love with a counselor. Who knew that ninety-four minutes could be so long?

Matt’s tomfoolery borrows liberally from the Girls Gone Wild template. Go on-line, stock up on as much spy gear as possible and outfit the girl’s shower room. The rich dialogue offers up such witty bon mots as, “Are you an a**hole? You’re hairy and you smell like shit.” Arielle Kebbel is too adorable for the producers to ask to disrobe. That might has made it worth recommending.

Steve Rash used to be a reliable source of entertainment. The Buddy Holly Story holds up quite well and I don’t care what you say, “Can’t Buy Me Love” is a very enjoyable teen comedy. As it, this is worse than Jenny McCarthy’s Dirty Love, and that could be the most insulting thing I have ever said about a movie.

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