Intelligent Life?: Paul International Movie Trailer 2 Official (HD)

Pointless and almost pathetic in its obvious devices, this alien comedy has one thing going for it - two, to be precise: the invovlement of Brits Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. They not only wrote the film (not entirely a credit), but together, the former department store assistant and the erstwhile Mexican restaurant cook significantly enliven the proceedings as stars and help to negate the influence of the insufferable Seth Rogen (thankfully reduced to voice duties here) as the titular alien.

The Brit boys are smack dab in America's "alien corridor" on their way to complete a Comic-Con (that's Comics Convention to you uninitiated) pilgrimage that should take the m to the infamous town of Roswell, New Mexico (site of a still controversial crater believed to be the remnant of an alien spacecraft crash in 1947) when up jumps the foul-mouthed, cigarette popping, whole bird-eating little space native.

Their initial shock having subsided, the two decide to help Paul accomplish his ET-like mission of getting back to his space craft and returning to his advanced planet, which of course requires a detour - north, to Wyoming. The complication (at least one of them) is a Federal agent (neatly played by Jason Bateman) bent on taking Paul back into custody where his particular gifts - the ability to become invisible upon holding his breath, and the ability to heal others, are coveted by the US Government (do they care that much?) Toss in a pair of rednecks and a fire-breathing Pentecostal preacher (each party out for his own brand of revenge on the starring pair), the preacher's daughter and seriously camp "Big Sister" figure tracking  - and rueing - the ineptitude of the Feds,  and you have a thick enough stew.

But still a fairly bland one. Unlike their work in the "horror-comedies" 'Hot Fuzz and "Shaun of the Dead" which were sharp send-ups of Hollywood's genre antics and people's related penchant for violence. "Paul" offers mostly platitudes and stereotypical images of Christian Fundamentalism, the masquerade of near-totalitarianism in the guise of "land of the free" democracy and Hollywood's obsession with comic book literature.

Pegg and Frost are still fun to watch, but not enough. This may have to be the first case of  interstellar deportation. "ET! Go home!"