Customer Reviews

Incident at Loch Ness

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I used to be such a huge fan of Christopher Guest's movies but it seems to me that recently, they've all started to feel exactly the same. The same actors, the same jokes... I'm bored. That's why I was pleasantly surprised when I came across this movie at a film festival. If you like mockumentaries, this is like a breath of fresh air. It's the story of how Werner Herzog tries to shoot a documentary on the Loch Ness Monster but everything goes horribly wrong.

Part of the brilliance of the movie is the use of Werner Herzog as the lead character. As a fan of his, I never could have imagined that he would have appeared in a film like this. The film sends up Herzog's reputation of being demanding and violent on the set perfectly... for example, in this movie, demonic producer Zak Penn pulls a gun on him (echoing the near-legendary confrontation between Herzog and Kinski in Aguirre). There are a lot of moments like this for the cinefile who knows enough about the director to be surprised and amused. Kudos to Werner Herzog for being such a good sport.

I should also point out that I have no interest in the Loch Ness Monster, but this movie kept me riveted by focusing less on the monster and more on the loons who think the monster is real. Special mention must be given to the ridiculous and insane Cryptozoologist who almost steals the film. Basically, anyone who is a fan of Werner Herzog or just wants some good laughs must see this film. I am definitely looking forward to Herzog's next adventure...hopefully in search of Big Foot or something...

I didn't know what to expect when I was given this dvd as a Christmas gift. I enjoyed the film very much, mostly due to Werner Herzog's performance. He shines despite Zack Penn's best efforts to steal the lime light. Although I didn't get all the jokes, I found myself laughing throughout most of the film.

What I was most happy about was all the dvd easter eggs. Without giving it away, I'll say the commentary by Werner and Zack was by far the most entertaining commentary I've heard.

Clever mockumentary by Zak Penn and featuring director-legend Werner Herzog on his quest to make a true documentary about the human need to believe in myth. It takes off as your standard "making of" fare, but then it twists into something entirely different as Zak Penn begins filming a super model and the ship encounters what appears to be the real loch ness monster. A number of the crew members are humorous and provide some good material, such as Michael Karnow as the Crypto-Zoologist who is convinced that nesse is the real deal from the get go, and Werner Herzog is in excellent form as he imitates his own obsessed megalomaniac self. The film definitely caught me off guard the first time I saw it, the fakery didn't become apparent until the plot became especially perpostrous as Penn pulls a gun on Werner, forcing him to film an idiotic model of nesse. However, it came across as a tad gimmicky the second time around.

This movie is a spectacular gem... I do appreciate Christopher Guest's movies (particularly Best in Show), but they don't compare to Incident at Loch Ness in terms of depth or comedy... Herzog (who I did not know of until this film) gives one of the most masterfully delivered performances I've ever whitnessed... even love-to-hate-him Zak Penn is amazing... I cannot say enough great things about this movie and can only say one bad thing: it drove my wife crazy to watch it with me for her first time and my second as I was unable to hide my enthusiasm and excitement at nearly every scene, ruining it for her.. but that's more a criticism of me than the movie, so 5 stars only because more aren't available!

I loved this movie and I thought it was hilarious. I can see how some people might dislike it though, because the movie doesn't rely on slapstick or gimmicks to get laughs. This is subtle satire, with a post-modern bent. Herzog talks at length about "ecstatic reality" and "fact vs. truth". And in typical Herzogian style, what is real/authentic and what is not begins to blur. Some of the best parts are when the producer and the crew try to be "authentic".

This may be the first mockumentary made... about a mockumentary.

The independent, creative mind clashes with big-budget in "Incident as Loch Ness," a bizarre mockumentary-within-a-mockumentary (sort of a fictional "Lost in Le Mancha"). It has some problems -- a slow pace and spotty humour -- but it's still an interesting little movie.

The movie opens in 2003, with an interviewer visiting Werner Herzog (played by... himself) for a documentary. Herzog explains that his forthcoming movie is a documentary about Loch Ness, and how people want to believe in a monster. For this, he's collaborating with Zakk Penn (himself again), writer of movies like "Elektra," "X2," and "X-Men: The Last Stand." Very, very mainstream.

But problems crop up as soon as they get to Scotland. Herzog finds that Penn has hired a Playmate/sonar operator, an exozoologist and a big inflatable plesiosaur. He's trying to turn the intelligent documentary into Hollywood garbage. But as Herzog decides to put a stop to it, something huge in the water attacks the boat...

This is a notable movie for two reasons: It's Zakk Penn's first indie movie, and it's the most bizarre movie that Herzog has ever done. And as we're reminded, he once had a riverboat hauled over a mountain, so that is saying something. At the end, it's hard to even remember that this was all "wheels within wheels."

Stylistically, "Incident" does exactly what it is supposed to do: twist reality, and turn the documentary on its ear. It's slow-paced and rather meditative, like behind-the-scenes documentaries are, and at times it's pretty dull. No outright funny stuff, but it has a sort of wry humour in scenes like the exozoologist showing off his tentacle, or the Playboy girl installing the sonar.

Then after the slow buildup, we get some surprises -- something massive swimming in Loch Ness, which bashes into the boat and cameras. At that point, everything speeds up. The main problem is the ending -- it feels like Penn didn't know how to end the movie, so he just... ended it. Like Herzog says, "It felt empty."

It's pretty easy for people to play themselves by definition, but Herzog and Penn actually do a good job. Of course, they're not playing themselves -- Penn is willing to make himself look like a Hollywood sneak, and that's pretty admirable. And Herzog plays himself as a crabby, brilliant filmmaker who values truth (cinematic and personal) more than anyone else on the tub.

Reality gets twisted into a Mobius strip in this mockumentary-within-a-mockumentary, where Hollywood and independent film collide with a bang. Definitely a weird one.

Incident At Loch Ness is one of the best mockumentaries ever made. While not quite there with This Is Spinal Tap, it is a cut above many of the other contenders. The reason for this is because its star is German filmmaking legend Werner Herzog (who could be a Teutonic doppelganger for Gene Hackman) of Fitzcarraldo fame. The basic premise is that Hollywood screenwriter turned producer Zak Penn (played by the real Zak Penn- as all the folks in the film are `themselves') recruited Herzog and some other well known Hollywood types to dupe the press into thinking that Herzog was making a documentary film called The Enigma Of Loch Ness, all the while another filmmaker named John Bailey was shooting a documentary, called Herzog In Wonderland, about the making of that fictive film. Given the fact that not a shred of evidence for the existence of the Loch Ness Monster has ever been found, in nearly two thousand years, what this film is, then, is a fictive documentary on the making of a fictive documentary, or a hoax about a hoax about a hoax, or meta-meta-fiction. Yet, this does not imply the film is self-serious, in the least. Unlike, say, The Blair Witch Project, aka The Least Scary Horror Movie Ever Filmed, Incident At Loch Ness is played just for laughs, and, putting aside the absurdity that someone like Herzog would even undertake such a project, the real test becomes how many viewers will be gulled into thinking the film is a real documentary, for how long, and what will tip them off?
The narrative in a nutshell- Penn, Herzog, and crew head off to Loch Ness, where they have some hilarious misunderstandings, including Herzog's threatening to walk off `his' film, because Penn- the character in the film, not the real director of the film- is trying to `spice up' Herzog's `serious' documentary with such things as fake Nessie props, and a gorgeous brunet Playboy Playmate Of The Year named Kitana Baker.... despite its vast superiority, Incident At Loch Ness did a fraction of the business The Blair Witch Project did. That mystery may, and should, end up the next `documentary' subject for Herzog to tackle.

From where I am sitting The Blair Witch Project pretty much nailed this concept the first time and lightning really doesn't strike twice. However, this film does bring it's own personal quirks to the game and what results is a successful (barely) movie. It does not succeed because it dresses a horror film up as a documentary (they even go so far as to continue the ruse on the commentary track). Rather, it works as a battle between Hollywood and cinema. Zak Penn does a great job vilifying himself as a nitwit who uses supermodels as crew members and guts the radio all in the name of production value. It did seem a little odd that the guy who wrote Elektra spoke of wanting credibility, but therein lies the magic of this film. By lampooning his own history of making trash he created a film that wasn't trash. That said the film is clever, but doesn't quite know how to deliver the laughs that it should. Penn and Herzog work great together, and the way they use the mystique that is Werner Herzog is at times brilliant. ***1/4

Chances are if you're reading this that you already know the joke behind this funny film. Someone in my life spared me that by telling me to see the movie but ordered me not to read a thing about it anywhere before I do. That was far more difficult than it sounds, but it worked and I fell for the film hook, line and sinker until nearly the end. Lucky me.

The film is extremely amusing and much credit must first be given to Zak Penn for concocting the whole thing, and a very close second to Werner Herzog who proved that he can poke a lot of fun at himself.

As others have said, the commentary track is a bit of a throwaway, but listening to Herzog's comments through to their completion got some laughs out of me. In fact, there aren't too many movies that get me to laugh aloud anymore, and this one certainly did.

Did I fall for the joke? Absolutely...but I don't feel bitter or cheated because of it. Herzog has pushed the envelope yet again, albeit in this unexpected way.

Here's the deal about INCIDENT AT LOCH NESS (Fox): Celebrated filmmaker Werner Herzog ("The Mystery of Kaspar Hauser," "Invincible," "Lessons of Darkness") is planning a documentary called "Enigma of Loch Ness." It's going to be a look at the fabled Scottish lake and the legendary, possibly mythic, "monster" that dwells within its cold, dark waters.

Hollywood screenwriter Zak Penn ("X Men 2," "Robin Hood") wants to make a documentary about the shooting of Herzog's film. And will go to any length to create situations that will add drama and excitement to his film about a film. He wants to win an award and be recognized.

Depending on your point of view and level of sophistication, "Incident at Loch Ness" is either a shocking, cautionary documentary about the perils of "artistic differences" during a difficult location shoot or a laugh out loud faux film about the hijacking of Herzog's movie by an overweight, egotistical, callous Hollywood hack who is directly responsible for the death of two of the documentary's crew members.

I liked the earnest, dead-pan consistency of all players in this quirky, off-center enterprise, especially Herzog's. And the conceit is never alluded to even in the twisted commentary track. When an angry Herzog confronts Penn's deception and ineptitude and walks out of the commentary recording session, Penn continues in fits and starts with other disgruntled members of the crew, finally ending with his acid-tongued, soon-to-be ex wife's comments. I loved this hilarious skewing of a certain Hollywood mindset run amuck.