“The ‘Animal House’ of the new millennium.” That’s what the cover of the “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder” DVD says at the top of the box. To this I say, “Please, you make-a-me laugha!”

While “Van Wilder” has its funny moments, it is no “Animal House.” I certainly wouldn’t run out to buy this one; It’s definitely more of a rental.

-The movie stars Ryan Reynolds as Van Wilder, the most popular guy on campus and a rebel who refuses to attend class. He has had such an interesting seven years as a student that a reporter from the college paper, Gwen Pearson (Tara Reid), is assigned to write a story on him. Wilder soon falls in love with Pearson and funny scenes ensue when Wilder competes with Pearson’s fraternity house boyfriend. Meanwhile, Wilder’s father has had just about enough of his son’s slacking off. He cuts off all funds to his son, forcing Wilder to find another way to pay for school.

As I mentioned, the movie has some funny scenes, especially involving Wilder’s hired “assistant” who is a foreign exchange student only here to lose his virginity. Van Wilder himself is also a pretty funny guy, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Ryan Reynolds is the same kind of person in real life. Reynolds does an excellent job playing the rebellious, sarcastic, yet all-around nice guy. Once again, Tara Reid plays the sweet, innocent girl next door, a role similar to the one she had in both “American Pie.”

The film has a decent soundtrack, something reminiscent to that of other college films like “Road Trip” or “Orange County.” “Van Wilder” also isn’t shy about the “gross-out factor,” showing everything from dog semen to giant goiters.

If you get the unrated DVD, you will get a two-disc set with a ton of extra features. It includes the usual deleted scenes, out takes and unrated scenes that contain nudity.

I don’t think this movie is as funny as I had hoped, but it wasn’t a total loss. That leaves it at average, or as Roger Ebert likes to call it, “OK.”