First of all, I'm not sure who this movie is marketed to. Kids? Nickelodeon's logo scrolls at the beginning of the movie giving that impression, yet there are crass jokes such as "tadpoles in your dad's sac". There's also breast touching, sexual tension during said breast touching, and a boy commenting on his mother's small boobs. This would be fine and dandy, if the rest of the content wasn't so juvenile. I personally don't mind crass jokes, but I felt as if they were out of place. I just felt as though type of people who'd appreciate tadpoles in ball sacs aren't going to enjoy watching a one-armed Spider-Man fool adults out of candy while trick-or-treating. (You may think I'm being a "prude" with this review, but I appreciate the humor and gratuitous nudity in films such as "Harold & Kumar". It's juts that "Harold & Kumar" knows what it is and what sort of audience is watching it.)
Alfred is supposed to be the charming yet devious little boy character, but he was just so unlikeable. You're introduced to him on the toilet, hearing the sound effects of poop plopping into the water. As if once weren't enough, the last shot you see is, likewise, Alfred pooping on the toilet - sound effects and all. It's not funny, it's pretty gross, actually. Make sure you aren't snacking on popcorn while you watch.
A lot of the antics the teenagers get into while driving around feel very forced, with little resolution. Peng shooting chicken at a bully that he never encounters again? A kid totals his car, and his mothers not only don't care, but give him keys to a second car? I don't know. I just don't believe anything presented to me, and yet it doesn't have that surreality of something like "Tide Land". Though, it wasn't a complete waste of time. Thomas Middleditch & Thomas Mann play charming characters, Victoria Justice and Jane Levy are likewise talented actors who tried their best to bring lukewarm material to life. If you're looking for a slightly inappropriate and awkward Halloween movie to watch with the family, well, why not? Just don't expect too much out of it.
