General Zod said:
First, this is a difficult concept to address because it's probably something that has a pretty subjective connotation from person to person. Anyway, as it relates to my point here, I just mean that it felt like Kevin Smith was reaching beyond simple escapism in the Clerks movies and getting serious about his craft, trying to create something that has an impact on you beyond laughter. (And like I said, based on much of the dialogue in Dogma, that movie comes close as well, it just seemed like Smith tried too hard to make sure his trademark elements were prevalent - for me at least).
General Zod said:
In a nutshell, less zanyness & over the top moments, more meaningful dialogue.
I loved the philosophy of the angels' relationship with God, the church's attempt to modernize it's message, Behany's dilemma.....
....but then you have Golgothan shit demons? Jay and Silent Bob as prophets descending from the sky screaming "Snooch to the motherfucking nooch"? (though Silent Bob's heroics on the train were fucking hilarious) Chris Rock as the 13th Apostle with "nigga attitude" proclaiming Jesus was black? Alanis Morrisette as God? Ben Affleck flying around dropping everyone from the sky?
Funny? Yes. And I have no problem at all with Smith's brand of comedy laced with satire, it just didn't seem to work as a whole for me in this film, probably because the subject manner was an important one to me and I just felt he could've toned it down a little. (not to an insane degree, believe me, I know this is Kevin Smith and over the top is his middle name after all). Anyway, for whatever reason the sum of the whole didn't work for me, but there were more than enough individual parts to entertain me.
FYI, Clerks II is PLENTY excessive throughout, yet for some reason it just hits all the right notes for me.
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