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There's a biting satire that keeps threatening to burst out of the well-cast Airheads, but unfortunately, the end result lives down to its title in the most unfortunate ways.
All Critics (34) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (7) | Rotten (27) | DVD (7)
The anarchic saga could have used more bite or the hint of a threat just to keep things interesting. Jun 1, 2008
The anarchic saga could have used more bite or the hint of a threat just to keep things interesting.
Leonard Klady
About airheads, and for them, too. Feb 9, 2006 | Full Review…
About airheads, and for them, too.
Geoff Andrew
There should have been enough material here for six sitcoms. Instead, there's not even enough for one movie. May 20, 2003
There should have been enough material here for six sitcoms. Instead, there's not even enough for one movie.
Janet Maslin
Fraser and Buscemi are deadpan delights. And Sandler, Opera Man on SNL, is a red-hot screen find. May 12, 2001
Fraser and Buscemi are deadpan delights. And Sandler, Opera Man on SNL, is a red-hot screen find.
Peter Travers
A spoof of heavy-metal culture that at the same time respects the vitality and pent-up passion behind it. Jan 1, 2000 | Full Review…
A spoof of heavy-metal culture that at the same time respects the vitality and pent-up passion behind it.
Mick LaSalle
Observing how fertile the field of heavy metal music is for satire, it's disappointing to watch Airheads bumble around, desperately trying to find something funny to say. Jan 1, 2000 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…
Observing how fertile the field of heavy metal music is for satire, it's disappointing to watch Airheads bumble around, desperately trying to find something funny to say.
James Berardinelli
A dumb comedy. Sep 5, 2017 | Rating: C | Full Review…
A dumb comedy.
Dennis Schwartz
Everyone in the film has simply been better and funnier, before. Even Fraser. May 28, 2013 | Full Review…
Everyone in the film has simply been better and funnier, before. Even Fraser.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Airheads commits the cardinal sin of satire: it's not sure what it's making fun of. Jun 1, 2008 | Rating: 1/4 | Full Review…
Airheads commits the cardinal sin of satire: it's not sure what it's making fun of.
Violence passes for comedy, and poor music passes for nothing. Jun 1, 2008 | Full Review…
Violence passes for comedy, and poor music passes for nothing.
Film4 Staff
A bit of a mess, but one of Steve Buscemi's best performances before hitting the big time. Jan 16, 2005 | Rating: 3/5
A bit of a mess, but one of Steve Buscemi's best performances before hitting the big time.
Luke Y. Thompson
Years later, it's much easier to appreciate this cast of then-unknowns which would develop into superstars. Aug 2, 2002 | Rating: 4/5
Years later, it's much easier to appreciate this cast of then-unknowns which would develop into superstars.
Phil Villarreal
Airheads, present a funny cast and an very good performace by Steve Buscemi. The film, make laughs with your Dog Day Afternoon satire, but the script could be more intelligent.
Super Reviewer
The amps are on but nobody's home. Saw it again! Great Comedy! This is a great movie that simply doesn't get alot of credit. This movie has an original plot line with good humour and good acting. Keep in mind that this movie comes very early on in the careers of all three title characters. Personally I find the calibre of acting that Fraser and Sandler have in this movie better than some that came afterwards. I highly recommend this movie is you want to watch a good movie, not something you will have to work up to sitting thru. Three would be rockers Chazz, Rex and Pip, known as The Lone Rangers plan to play their demo on a recording company, but then they're turned down rudely. Then they decide to try the famous rock n' roll radio station, but are not accepted either. Then they decide arm themselves with squirt guns and take the station hostage for not playing their demo. But the three get more than what they have bargained for.
Airheads is a fun and entertaining comedy that could have been much better, but for what it is, it is a film that is quite decent to average, but you can clearly see that it does fall short of its potential. The cast are quite funny in their roles, and this was one of the few films where Adam Sandler was enjoyable and fun to watch along with others such as Happy Gilmore and Big Daddy. Brendan Fraser is interesting as well, but the one who steals the show is Steve Buscemi and Chris Farley. Airheads does have good moments and rewatching it years later, I enjoyed it more so. For rock and metal fans, you're sure to enjoy the cameos by Motorhead vocalist Lemmy Kilmester and a short performance by White Zombie. If the script would have been reworked slightly, this would certainly have been a great comedy, as it is, it's a decent film with good on-screen gags. I did enjoy the film, but like I previously stated, felt that the film could have been reworked to make the jokes stands out more. Airheads is worth seeing if you want a fun and entertaining comedy, but it's not a stand out picture either. Go into this one expecting some laughs with decent performances and you won't be disappointed. Airheads is fun for what it is, but the idea for the film is interesting and the humor is silly and good, mindless entertainment. This is worth checking out if you want to watch one of the better Sandler films. With that said, I don't think he was the standout actor here, but he was pretty good in his role as one of the dimwits taking the radio station hostage. Airheads is decent, but you have to wonder how good this film could have been.
Probably the first rock band type comedy I saw after 'Spinal Tap' and there hasn't been too many since accept for 'School of Rock' and 'The Rocker' of the top of my head. This, now old, comedy was a small release in the UK I believe and didn't really do that much (a typical Fraser release) and you can see why sort of, its not a terrible comedy but its not that great either, its steady stuff. There are some good laughs dotted around and one or two nice visual goofs but nothing really really amazingly funny. The main trio attract with Buscemi, Fraser and Sandler...when he was making more risky comedies, the support are good too although Mantegna is slightly miscast. Its amusing and its a good flick to watch with friends on a weekend, Fraser gets a little whiny towards the end and when I think about it the plot is a little like 'The Blues Brothers' with the same kind of ending. Not a classic but just above average.
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