Kevin James, the name synonymous with feel-good, family-friendly comedy, steps into the octagon in Here Comes the Boom. You might expect a laugh riot, perhaps even envisioning the titular “Here Comes The Boom Song” blasting as he enters the ring, ready to deliver some slapstick punches. But does this movie deliver a knockout blow of entertainment, or is it more of a gentle tap?
The premise is straightforward, almost charmingly predictable. James plays Scott Voss, a disillusioned biology teacher who rediscovers his purpose, and perhaps a bit of machismo, by taking up Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighting. His motivation isn’t purely altruistic, mind you. While he aims to save the school’s beloved music program from budget cuts, there’s a strong undercurrent of wanting to impress the school nurse, played by Salma Hayek. It’s a classic Kevin James setup, relying on the lovable underdog trope and a dash of romantic comedy. You can almost hear the “Here Comes the Boom song” building in the background as he embarks on this unlikely journey.
However, the film, much like Voss’s initial forays into the fighting world, feels a bit clumsy. While James might have toned down the overt slapstick for Here Comes the Boom, the originality isn’t exactly cranked up either. The humor lands as light jabs rather than gut punches. We see the predictable training montages, the fish-out-of-water scenarios, and the inevitable underdog triumphs. Even the inclusion of Bas Rutten, a real-life MMA fighter, doesn’t elevate the fight scenes beyond the realm of movie magic.
Alt text: Movie poster for Here Comes the Boom featuring Kevin James as Scott Voss, an unlikely UFC fighter.
The soundtrack, notably featuring “Boom” by D.O.A., becomes almost ironic. The song, presumably intended as Voss’s anthem, is actually stolen by a rival fighter within the movie’s narrative. This detail inadvertently mirrors the film’s own struggle to find a unique voice amidst the crowded genre of sports comedies. No one in Here Comes the Boom truly upstages Kevin James, but perhaps that’s part of the problem. The movie plays it safe, never quite daring to deliver a truly surprising comedic blow.
What Here Comes the Boom needed was a moment of genuine audacity, a scene that subverts expectations. Instead, it follows a predictable pattern: here-comes-the-struggle, here-comes-the-training, here-comes-the-climax. It’s reminiscent of the straight-to-video action comedies of the past, the kind that might have starred Tom Arnold a decade prior. Yet, Kevin James’s affable screen presence manages to make it just about watchable on the big screen. It’s a bearable, if uninspired, cinematic experience.
Alt text: Scene from Here Comes the Boom showcasing Kevin James in a humorous MMA training session.
Sounding off,
Christopher
