The broadness of what we`re about to see is shoved in our faces as our hero Jamal, Martin Lawrence ablutes to camera - cleaning teeth, ears and removing nose hair. And, I`m ashamed to admit, I nearly laughed then and there. Jamal works as an odd-job man at a local Mediavel World theme park. When he accidentally falls in the castle`s moat while trying to reach a chain with an amulet, he`s sucked into a vortex and ejected into the world of 1328 England where he meets a down and out knight played by Oscar nominee Tom Wilkinson and then enters into the corrupt world of King Leo and his cohorts who`ve wrested the throne from the rightful queen. En route he meets a tasty chambermaid played by Marsha Thomason.
This classic fish out of water story has some limited charms, it`s certainly for me Lawrence`s least dislikeable comedy. I just hated Big Momma`s House. At least the film has some sort of internal integrity - the players seem to treat their roles with -possibly undeserved - respect. The director was Gil Junger who made 10 Things I Hate About You, after developing a career in television. This is just another silly comedy for pre teens but it isn`t hateful.
