Project X
Directed by Nima Nourizadeh
Green Hat Films and Silver Pictures
Jam-packed with sex, alcohol, drugs and other reckless and raw teenage shenanigans, many audience members will leave “Project X” disgusted, while others will burst out of the theater with the desire to immediately wreck their livers and dance the night away.
“Project X” is a new mockumentary-style film that is loosely based on the story of Corey Delaney, an Australian teenager who threw a house party while his parents were out of town, resulting in riot control, $20,000 worth of damage and Internet fame. His story was made known to the world via a viral YouTube video, which the film pays homage to.
The film revolves around a group of high school nerds who want to boost their status in the high school hierarchy of jocks, cheerleaders, outcasts and other stereotypical cliques. When his parents leave town for the weekend, Thomas (Thomas Mann) decides to throw a small party at his house. Sure enough, this “small gathering” quickly spirals out of control, resulting in utter teenage chaos.
Produced by Todd Phillips, director of “The Hangover,” the film was built upon almost accidental hype. The film’s title was originally a placeholder among the filmmakers, but it ended up generating so much buzz because of its alleged secrecy that it was decided upon as the official name for the film.
The target audience here is simple: high school and college teens who love to party. Unfortunately, anyone who isn’t included in this limited demographic might be disturbed by the film’s content. It is no surprise that critics have already begun to describe the film as anarchic party porn for young people.
One thing that should be appreciated is the authenticity the film brings to the table. After being unable to find a neighborhood that would allow filming, Warner Brothers built its own set and filmed the partying scenes during the course of a week. The cast was encouraged to keep partying between takes to keep the energy up. The Burbank police were even called to the set after a noise complaint.
The film makes full use of its soundtrack, and often goes into slow motion, music video-esque sequences backed by throbbing party music and clips of teens dancing and engaging in reckless behavior.
At certain points in the film, “Project X” tries too hard and ventures into outstandingly ridiculous territory. A certain flamethrower-wielding drug dealer is partially to blame for this. It’s times like these that the film can barely be taken seriously. However, if one can set these flaws aside, watching the movie can be a fun experience.
Even though it is outrageous and over-the-top, “Project X” is a fun film that can be enjoyed by an appropriate audience. However, the hype that surrounds it, naming it this year’s “Superbad,” is unfulfilled. Unfortunately, this film will not go down as a party classic and shouldn’t even be included in the same sentence as Phillips’ superior work, “The Hangover.”