Due to Samuel L. Jackson's recent success in Snakes On A Plane, I thought it would be a good idea to review one of his earlier efforts. I feel that Mr. Jackson first embraced the concept of celebrating bad movies in 2003's Formula 51. The year is 1970 and Elmo McElroy (Samuel L. Jackson) has just graduated with a pharmaceutical degree. Driving from the ceremony, still in his cap and gown, McElroy decides to celebrate by lighting up a big fat joint (you know "marijuana"...I hear the kids love it.) Darn the luck, no sooner have the herbs taken effect, but a police car pulls him over. Massive amounts of smoke billowing out of his car, McElroy knows he's busted and asks for mercy, informing the officer that being found guilty of possession of an illegal substance would render his hard earned degree useless. This gives the cop some pause as he takes one of the joints and lights it up! McElroy, elated that he has found a reefer friendly officer who has just inhaled copious amounts of cannabis, reaches for the joint. The pass is unsuccessful as the cop deliberately drops the peace offering and utters the fateful words "The 60's are over. Man."

Fast forward to preset day; McElroy has been forced to apply his genius to producing designer drugs for a crime boss named The Lizard. Oh, did I mention The Lizard is played by Meat Loaf! Samuel L. vs. Meat Loaf! Sounds like the title match of the century! I assure you the match up does not disappoint. McElroy has had enough with working for The Lizard and takes off for bloody old England where he hopes to make the drug deal that will allow him to live in luxury for the rest of his days. Here he teams up with Robert Carlyle of Trainspotting fame. Remember that salty, sawed-off bloke named Begbie? That's him, and he is just as amusing in this film with such gems as "We can still go to France. It's not too far, it's full of pricks and they hate Yanks as well!" This campy action comedy has everything from Jackson taking out a group of skinheads with his golf clubs to Jackson feeding a group of skinheads extreme E-lax to make them shit their pants! Alright, it doesn't have everything, but it shows a lot of skinhead abuse which is always funny. They’re really just about the only group left that it’s okay for everyone to hate. Oh, and Samuel L. sports a kilt throughout the entire movie.

Formula 51 is not truly a bad movie. It doesn't take itself seriously and for that reason it's refreshing. The storyline and characters are so random and strange it somehow works. The production is of a high caliber and for that matter so is the acting. For all of these reasons I can not give Formula 51 a high Hamlin score. So why am I celebrating it as a bad movie? The only way I can say it is that it's not a good movie and it seems everyone involved in making this picture really enjoyed that fact.

Hamlin Grade: 4.5

Fletch is a killing word!