If the sequel to the Wayans brothers' "Scary Movie" parody is any indication, you can do it on the big screen. The "In Living Color" veterans' latest comedy is a lot like the old Nickelodeon television show, in that someone gets slimed in nearly every scene. Also, the acting is equally contrived and exaggerated.
But "Scary Movie 2" leaves Barf and Alanis in the dust as it boldly breaches the boundaries of propriety and wallows in sexuality, obscenity and excrement.
Not that any of these big three are necessarily bad -- they seem to be stand-up comedians' staples these days, especially when sheer wit is not enough to coax laughs from a stubborn audience.
However, screenwriters Shawn and Marlon Wayans dumped loads of bodily fluids and bathroom humor into the filler (some might call it a plot) that propels one horror flick parody to the next.
Of the six teenagers tricked by their professor into spending the weekend at a haunted house, the only one portrayed with pizzazz is pothead Shorty Meeks, played by Marlon Wayans. As a character actor, Marlon truly shines, and his Shorty is a hoot to watch.
The only other impressive performance is by Chris Elliott, who plays Hanson, the eccentric-plus caretaker of Hell House. His quirky demeanor and devilish manipulation of his shriveled hand are truly commendable.
But director Keenen Ivory Wayans devoted too much camera time to dead fish like Anna Farris, who plays Cindy Campbell, and Regina Hall, who plays Brenda Meeks. Both performances are bland and predictable, and Hall's squeaky voice is enough to drive viewers nuts.
As Alex Monday, Tori Spelling reincarnates the nerdy persona she used when she played Screech's girlfriend on "Saved by the Bell," and her 90210 compatriot Kathleen Robertson stays sexed-up as usual to play Theo.
Hokey special effects and exaggerated costuming add to the farcical feel of the film, but one should not expect cinematographic genius in a movie parody.
