fine whine

Attack of the killer tomatoes! has some very amusing bits, including the outrageously hilarious tiny meeting room and the titling of San Francisco footage as "New York"*, but overall, it both tries too hard (naming a reporter Lois so as to allow a Superman joke later) and is lazy (commercial gags about a blind traffic cop and Jesus as a spokesman have no bearing on the plot) at the same time, and it all comes off as too many winks and not enough nostalgia. Attack is supposed to be a parody of and homage to B-movies of the 50s and later that used sparse sets, slapdash writing, stock footage, and creative-but-low-budget effects to try to tell a story in something of an earnest fashion.

I'm not certain it's entirely possible anymore to make a B-movie like that in this post-ironic modern day and age (or is it ironic post-modern?) with pure intentions. All of those black & white clunkers were amateurs trying their best at their one shot at the big screen. The 'stars' of Attack of the killer tomatoes! aren't trying to act on screen; they're trying to be outrageously funny. It doesn't work. Like I said, many a moment is funny, but overall you've gotta love this film to like it.

* Later they show a slide of what might be the Golden Gate bridge, and title it "New York?". This, my friends, is comedy.