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film review

Gavin Free as Woody and Michael Jones as Zach in Lazer Team.

"Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some," wrote Shakespeare, "have greatness thrust upon them."

Or, as William H. Macy's Shoveler character in the diet superhero comedy Mystery Men said, "We've got a blind date with Destiny, and it looks like she's ordered the lobster."

These are variations on a theme, and so is Lazer Team, a harmless, semi-fun, low-budget romp of sci-fi cheese in which Wizard of Oz personal shortcomings, Ghostbusters-style teamwork and Marvel Comics causes are invoked in a story about four nitwits – a jock, a drunk, a yokel, a hapless sheriff's deputy – who are accidentally charged with fighting an alien warrior for the fate of the planet.

The setting is small-town 'Merica, where one superhuman suit of advanced protection and weaponry is awkwardly shared four ways for an intergalactic showdown that takes place on a high school football field.

The comedy is sophomoric and sort-of spoofy; satire happens here and there. Many movies before have dealt with misfits, nerds and those born less than great rising to occasions and attempting redemption.

This is another one.

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