Review: Zoolander: Super Model

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson reprise their roles of really, really, ridiculously good looking Derek Zoolander and Hansel, respectively, in this quirky cartoon about super-powered supermodels inspired by the live action Zoolander.

In this version, Derek’s famous “looks” serve as bad-guy defeating super powers, while Hansel fights for fashion through the use of various gadgets. They’re aided by their loyal agent, Maury Ballstein (Jerry Stiller), android stylist Frankie J-Peg (Nick Kroll), chimp sidekick Accessory, and talented-but-trapped-at-a-tabloid reporter Matilda Jeffries (Christine Taylor.)

The duo take on a variety of villains to save their fellow celebrities, while intermittently delivering fourth-wall breaking tips for “model behavior”.

Our Take:

With an art style reminiscent of 1960s Hanna-Barbera superheroes and a goofy premise, this movie puts the “really really ridiculous” in “really really ridiculously good looking”

However, with a star-studded cast, pacing reminiscent of a TV marathon, and some surprisingly solid jokes, Zoolander: Super Model succeeds at narrator Tim Gunn’s most famous demand to “make it work.” While it’s never fully explained how Derek obtained his powers or why he and Hansel got into the crime-fighting game in the first place, they spring into animated action in crisply rendered cities against various villains threatening the incredibly good looking. Their first foe is the vicious alien Red Carpet, who attacks the Kardashians (featuring Kim and Khloé voicing themselves) while they’re promoting their celebrity-branded particle accelerator. Hansel gets wrapped up during the fight, and Derek endangers him by lighting the Red Carpet on fire with his fellow crime-fighter tangled inside.

Hansel demands an apology, which Derek pettily withholds until he sees the error of his ways during a face-off with The Paparocto (Jon Daly), a paparazzi who gained Dr. Octopus-style limbs after fusing to his equipment following a radioactive waste accident. Following “episodes” see Hansel and Derek facing off against distinctively-voiced mad-scientist plastic surgeon Dr. Botoxo (Patton Oswalt), precociously evil fashion prodigy Nani (Jenny Slate), and a Hulked-out Maury after he ingests a dangerous combination of knock-off kidney medication and bronzer.

These action-packed, quip-filled scenes are interspersed with “Model Behavior” segments featuring soothing background music and comically bad advice on branding, nutrition, self-esteem, protecting oneself from the paparazzi, internet safety, and being confident. The plotlines culminate in a showdown at the Global Economic Summit in Paris to stop Nani, who’s joined forces with the Red Carpet and kidnapped Matilda, from committing world-wide fashion terrorism.

Before the crew can thwart Nani’s evil plan and rescue Matilda, they must battle through a nearly endless entourage of hilariously-named henchmen. The list goes on for a while, but some personal favorites include Esteé Slaughter, Evil Kanye West, Regular Kanye West, Eva Fangoria, A$AP Bullwinkle, Kate Moth, and Werewolf Blitzer. While watching tiny cartoons based on regular-sized movies may not be Zoolander-approved behavior, this fun flick is worth it, if for no other reason than to see animated Tim Gunn, gun in hand, shouting “let’s make it work, you sons of bitches!”