Zombieland director's next film based off an actual murder in 2003.

[silversun101]

For those of you unaware of the more tasteless side of Ruben Fleischer's sense of humor.

In summary, Mr. Fleischer is using a horrible true event in which a man was kidnapped, had a bomb strapped to his neck, and then told to rob a bank within the hour or else it would blow as the basis for his new wacky comedy. Brian Wells, the man in question, failed to rob the bank in time, was apprehended by the police, and the bomb detonated soon after, taking his head with it. There are allegations that Wells was in fact involved in the actual plotting of this robbery, though he was not aware that a real bomb was going to be used. Either way, "Based on a True Story" are not the words you want to associate with a comedy film when said story involved a man dying tragically after being forced into a Saw-esque death game.

 

[Chewyjazz]

hmmm, this looks rather, hmmmmm

 

[spectrenihlus]

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BlackComedy

that is all

 

[silversun101]

Wow, well if this is true, then it is just sick and tasteless.
Can you confirm any of this?

Here is the trailor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLTxqrWaEH8&feature=related

And here is the wiki entry about the actual event: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Wells_(bank_robber)

What's kinda fucked up is that in the trailer, you can clearly see that he is delivering the pizza to an abandoned transmission tower, which is exactly where Wells was allegedly sent to by the delivery order and kidnapped.

 

[silversun101]

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BlackComedy

that is all

Everyone knows you have to wait a minimum of ten years before something tragic can be funny. The guy got 2 years ahead of himself.

 

[spectrenihlus]

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BlackComedy

that is all

Everyone knows you have to wait a minimum of ten years before something tragic can be funny. The guy got 2 years ahead of himself.

I watched the trailer I admit I giggled when the you brought a gun to a bomb fight scene came in.

 

[DJ_DEnM]

It's based on it -.-, geez.

It's not like he's recreating the exact same accident like a documentary. He's making a movie with an idea based off of it.

 

[silversun101]

I wouldn't call this a black comedy. Judging from the trailers they are playing this for laughs, and not trying to portray any real sense of tragedy or even danger. If anything, this would be more along the line of Dead Baby Comedy (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DeadBabyComedy) but only if you are aware this is based on true events.

 

[Scipio1770]

I think Wired had an article about the incident a few weeks back. honestly I don't see what the big deal is, the idea was pretty ingenious and the movie selection the next few months looks pretty crappy anyway. Sure beats watching another godawful adam sandler movie.

 

[twistedmic]

Sure, it's fucked up (though looks funny) but I highly doubt that this the first time that someone took a murder/suicide/horrific accident from real life and used the idea in/for a movie.
If you think it's a horrible movie, then don't go see it.

 

[Seventh Actuality]

I wouldn't call this a black comedy. Judging from the trailers they are playing this for laughs, and not trying to portray any real sense of tragedy or even danger. If anything, this would be more along the line of Dead Baby Comedy (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DeadBabyComedy) but only if you are aware this is based on true events.

Well, the answer is don't judge any film based on the trailers. They probably weren't cut together by the director or anyone creatively involved with the film. It's not unknown for a trailer to completely misrepresent a film to make it appeal to a larger audience.

So, if it does turn out to be exactly what you think, then yeah, that's not on (in my opinion)...but it could just as easily be a black comedy like Four Lions. Judge it when you see it, or at the very least when it's come out.

 

[TheLoneBeet]

It looks pretty funny. Yes it's based on real events but plenty of movies are. It's not as if the movie will be a documentary-style retelling of the real events. Plus I'm sure no other information will match up to the original event.

What's kinda fucked up is that in the trailer, you can clearly see that he is delivering the pizza to an abandoned transmission tower, which is exactly where Wells was allegedly sent to by the delivery order and kidnapped.

Okay, except maybe that.

 

[ninja51]

... It is a bit of a funny situation. Very tragic that a guy died... but c'mon it IS an absurd situation

 

[silversun101]

I wouldn't call this a black comedy. Judging from the trailers they are playing this for laughs, and not trying to portray any real sense of tragedy or even danger. If anything, this would be more along the line of Dead Baby Comedy (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DeadBabyComedy) but only if you are aware this is based on true events.

Well, the answer is don't judge any film based on the trailers. They probably weren't cut together by the director or anyone creatively involved with the film. It's not unknown for a trailer to completely misrepresent a film to make it appeal to a larger audience.

So, if it does turn out to be exactly what you think, then yeah, that's not on (in my opinion)...but it could just as easily be a black comedy like Four Lions. Judge it when you see it, or at the very least when it's come out.

Yeah, thats always possible, though the trailer does seem to be giving a very straight forward blow-by-blow of what we can expect. It very clearly gives us the premise (stoner screw-up gets bomb strapped to chest by criminal screw-ups and has to rob a bank before the bomb blows) and, as I've stated before, the fact that we see in the trailer the kidnapping taking place at an abandoned transmission tower is rather uncanny.

Plus, I wouldn't readily compare this to Four Lions. While that film created sharp social commentary on the very real (and often dangerous) incompetence and ignorance of the average terrorist under the guise of humor, 30 Min or Less just looks like another stoner flick.

It looks pretty funny. Yes it's based on real events but plenty of movies are. It's not as if the movie will be a documentary-style retelling of the real events.

I almost think it would work better played straight. Trying to retell this story for laughs could go down the wrong road very quickly.

 

[Vuljatar]

Here is the trailor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLTxqrWaEH8&feature=related

Looks hilarious!

I can't believe I hadn't heard of this before now.

 

[Asuka Soryu]

There's something off about the title, perhaps if "actual" and "an" could swap places it'd work?



Anyways, that is quite disturbing for a comedy. Perhaps he hopes the shock value will get people to watch it.

 

[Biosophilogical]

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BlackComedy

that is all

Does Starship Troopers count? That movie was great.

OT: So it is a Black Comedy? Where's the dilemma?