Across The View Askewniverse: Jay And Silent Bob’s Groovy Cartoon Movie (2014) Review
Something of a sidestep in our journey ‘Across The View Askewniverse’, it’s still a worthwhile stop en route as, although it’s not directed by Smith himself, he did write it (based on his ‘Bluntman & Chronic’ comic book spin-off from “Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back”) and he stars in it as the ‘voice’ of Silent Bob alongside first time movie-producer Jason Mewes, who’s probably solely responsible for ensuring the budget for this animated feature rounded out to a nice $69k. Snoogins.
After scooping the $10 million jackpot from a scratchcard purchased at (where else?) the One Stop, Jay and Silent Bob decide to become the superheroes Bluntman and Chronic. Building their secret fortress beneath RTS Video and aquiring all the accoutrements, gadgets and vehicles required, they set out to fight crime, aided by their long suffering butler Albert (Neil Gaiman).
Disappointingly, this breezy hour-long (ish), doesn’t take its design cues from the underrated and cruelly short-lived “Clerks” animated series but instead goes for a cheaper, cuter design aesthetic and, in doing so, takes an indirect swipe at the fanboy fuss that’s been made about the cutification of vintage animations such as “Thundercats” and “She-Ra”. It’s goofy and charming in a sort of late nineties flash animation sort of style.
Young, dumb and full of cum jokes, this is the View Askewniverse at its most lewd and uninhibited, with a constant parade of references and riffs on a theme of genitalia, ejaculate sex in every possible combination and orientation, its pun game is on point if puerile and it feels like Smith is indulging every childish instinct and whim in packing as much profanity and gross-out crassness as he can into every single line.
It’s basically fine and will provoke as many eye rolls as it elicits chuckles but your mileage will vary enormously depending on your fondness for the View Askewniverse and its two standard bearers Jay and Silent Bob. As an animated feature, it’s a fun and very filthy way to spend an hour or so – probably funnier the higher you are – but as a celebration of Jason Mewes’ return to sobriety from the brink, it’s a welcome landmark in the wider metatextual View Askew landscape.
6/10