Integrity isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind when we think of parody. Some might say that parody is the response to, or the polar opposite of, integrity.

Those people are wrong. Parody is the response to genuineness, and contrary to the hopes of “Meet the Spartans,” a parody can’t be successful without integrity.

In 2006, the action film “300” pushed the envelope. The green screen visual effects epic had a lot of room for mockery: it was a film rendition of a graphic novel and was appropriately graphic (tantrum-throwing, waxed-chest-bearing, diaper-clad men, kicking and screaming their way through ancient Persian history).

Like Scientology, it’s almost a joke by itself, but, unlike Scientology, it’s also waist-deep in bone-crushing violence and gritty style.

So “300” stood on its own, a critical and financial success. But instead of taking dead aim on this popular, extravagant hit, “Meet The Spartans” fires haphazard, irrelevant jokes in all directions, scoring a lucky hit once every ten minutes.

What are the creative processes of Zack Snyder and Kurt Johnstad, the minds behind “Spartans?” How, for example, did they decide to include a children’s dancing penguin movie in their parody?

Short answer: It was the path of least resistance. The “Pit of Death” gag runs on for minutes, taking potshots at every name to ever grace the Hollywood tabloids. Actual “300” jokes only account for around half of the comedy in the film. The basic plot is just a vehicle for thoughtless, unoriginal celebrity and pop-culture humor.

The day is fast approaching when Carmen Electra won’t be able to rely on biting her finger or bending over to be cast in a film. Even the Mona Lisa’s falling apart:

Electra’s looks are making a break for it, and it shows. A huge potential for humor lies in Kevin Sorbo’s “Hercules” history, and makes him an ideal choice for a B.C. warrior part. His casting almost brings credibility to the satire, but his lines are infrequent and thoughtless.

There was a time when parody was original and clever, when spoofs took careful aim on a target and struck with unrelenting precision. When the Western was still going strong, “Blazing Saddles” stood it on its head.

When “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” were at their peak, Bill Pullman’s Lone Starr and Rick Moranis’ Dark Helmet blew them out of the sky in “Spaceballs.” And nearing the climax of the Cold War, Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd bumbled through political hotspots in “Spies Like Us.”

So what happened to the integrity of Mel Brooks and John Landis? Where are the focus, the cleverness and the smart character spoofs that used to be inherent in parody?

Even “Scary Movie,” Snyder’s and Johnstad’s 2000 send-up of the modern slasher flick, stuck to its target genre. How long will it be before brilliant satirical minds return to bring the integrity back to parody?

The future may look bleak. On the other hand, with franchises like “Narnia” and “Golden Compass” going strong, maybe the Christian allegory will be next on the bulls-eye. And after “I Am Legend” and “Cloverfield,” perhaps there’s a place for the apocalyptic thriller on the chopping block.

As long as there are blockbusters, there’s a potential for parody. Viewers will have to be patient and wait for the students of the Brooks and Landis method to restore Hollywood to a golden age of satire.