‘Year One’ suffers from being too ancient

By CHRIS KRAPEK

During the Super Bowl telecast this year, a brutally unfunny spot ran for “Year One,” a much-too-prehistoric comedy directed by comedic legend Harold Ramis (“Ghostbusters,” “Animal House”), Six months later, this scoff-inducing flick from the too-stoned age doesn’t hunt or gather or do much of anything really.

It’s a series of hit (and usually miss) gags strewn together with a story that feels like it was formulated in the year 1.

In a confusing pairing, the eternally pompous Jack Black and “Mr. Awkward” himself Michael Cera combine their slacker forces to create a duo more primitive than the film’s endless sexual innuendos. The doofus twosome make up Ed and Oh, two primal humans who, when ostracized from their tribe, begin to explore the unknown world, all the while interrupting biblical tales along the way. Nothing more, nothing less, just a whole bunch of walking.

Although with a cast worthy of sacrificing to the gods, “Year One” meanders in a dazed state of historical references mixed with 21st century sarcasm for the Apatow crowd. A sodomy joke about Sodom? Come on. These sophomoric gags are eerily reminiscent of another historical comedy, Chris Farley’s barely remembered ode to Lewis & Clark, “Almost Heroes.”

What keeps this “Monty Python” knock-off barely coherent is the onslaught of supporting comedic players in historical roles. David Cross is particularly good as the Cain to Paul Rudd’s Abel, as is Oliver Platt as an overly flamboyant high priest with Brillo Pad chest hair.

Look for Hank Azaria playing a crazed Abraham who is keen on circumcising EVERYONE and Christopher Mintz-Plasse (McLovin) as his jerky son.

“Year One” is this year’s “The Love Guru.” Both are major comedies that seemingly had it all going for them, however, the execution of the concepts were catastrophic. According to IMDB, the film’s budget was $75 million. That figure boggles the mind as at least half of that had to be spent on loin cloths and animal furs.

“Year One” has chuckles, but even a Neanderthal would find it trite.