Movie Review: Your Highness

The first thing you should know about "Your Highness" is that there is a running joke throughout the film involving a minotaur penis. If you don't find that remotely funny, and can't find a place in your heart to appreciate the humor of a minotaur penis in the most adolescent of ways, than "Your Highness" is probably not the movie for you. I, however, fully embrace low-brow jokes about minotaur penises, and the 13-year-old in me absolutely loved this movie. Although not without its problems, there's certainly a lot to appreciate in "Your Highness", or at least laugh at.

Danny McBride wrote and stars in this film, as the slacker prince Thadeous, younger brother of Fabious (James Franco). Thadeous spends his days lounging around the castle, smoking pot, and chasing sheep. Meanwhile, his brother is off on heroic quests, slaying dragons and doing other heroic things. But when the evil wizard Leezar kidnaps Fabious' bride-to-be (Zooey Deschanel), Thadeous must finally prove his worth and help Fabious rescue his love.

I knew this movie was going to be stupid, but as you're watching it, it's unbelievable how stupid it actually is. The dedication of everyone involved to utter stupidity and senseless vulgarity is impressive. The movie itself is basically a love song to juvenile humor. That being said, the technical aspects of the film were surprisingly decent for a comedy. The costumes, set pieces, and special effects were all well done, or at least passable. There is a chase scene about halfway through that is actually really impressive.

It's very clear that "Your Highness" will not appeal to everyone. Again, your stance on minotaur penises should properly gauge your stance on this movie.  Not all of the jokes hit (by a longshot), and the word "fuck" loses its meaning after about the fifteenth fucking time! But the movie never wavers in its commitment to brainlessness, and James Franco's goofy grin is always there to save a punchline.  It is true that "Your Highness" basically boils down to a feature-length dick joke. But hey- it's a pretty hilarious dick joke.