Film:  Eagle vs. Shark

Studio:    New Zealand Film Commission; Miramax

Director:  Taika Cohen

Principal Actors:  Jemaine Clement, Loren Horsley

Release:  2007; On DVD released January 8, 2008

Film length: 88 minutes

Rating: R

3 Stars

Reviewer:  Deborah Ground Buckner

If a film editor started playing around in the cutting room and spliced together Once and Napoleon Dynamite, the result would be Eagle vs. Shark.  I hate to use the over-used word "quirky," but it is the best adjective for this romantic comedy from New Zealand.  It ran the festival circuit in 2007, picking up awards for Best Comedy, Newport Beach Film Festival; Best Narrative Film and Best Actress, Newport International Film Festival; and Best Screenplay, U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. 

Lily (Loren Horsley) is working in a fast food restaurant, rattling off the special burger to each customer and encouraging super-sizing as directed by management.  At her post, she keeps watch for her crush, Jarrod (Jemaine Clement), an employee at a nearby video games store.  On the day he finally comes to her register, he hands her an invitation to a party, asking if she will pass it on to Jeanne, another employee at the restaurant.

Lily accepts the invitation herself, taking her brother, Damien (Joel Tobeck) along.  It is a "come as your favorite animal" party, and Lily goes as a shark.  Jarrod, in eagle costume asks "Where is Jeanne?"  "She's a lesbian," Lily quickly answers, "she's at a lesbian party."

The highlight of Jarrod's party is a "Fight" tournament, with contestants playing a video game, the winner challenging Jarrod in a final round.  Lily finds instant success with the game.  Though she loses to Jarrod in the final round (the Eagle versus the Shark, hence the film's title), she impresses him-so much so that the evening ends in his bedroom where he shows her the models he has built and the candles he has made, then asks, "Do you want to have sex?" and receives the reply, "Yep."

Jarrod explains to Lily he has to leave, to return to his hometown and do battle with his "high school nemesis," Eric (David Fane).  Eric is "going to reap what he's sown, and it's sure not corn-or wheat."  Explaining some of the problems of his childhood, Jarrod confesses, "I used to be a nerd."  All that lies between Jarrod and his revenge is the matter of transportation.  Lily persuades her brother to drive them to Jarrod's hometown.  Jarrod introduces Lily to his family as "the best female 'Fight' p'ayer I've ever seen."  He introduces Lily to his best friend, Mason (Cohen Holloway), "the best computer hacker in the world."  There's a bit of Samuel Pepys about Jarrod. 

What follows is an interesting study of family relationships, high school grudges, revenge, and a bit of growing up.  The characters are delightful, and Lily's developing relationship with Jarrod's father is especially fun to watch. 

As Jarrod plots his revenge, with Mason advising him on Eric's every move, Jarrod leaves a telephone message for Eric:  "Tell him justice is waiting for him."  "I'll tell him you called, Justin," he hears in reply.

Along with the story there are a few interesting bits of animation involving a discarded rotten apple and an apple core.  The metaphor is a bit obvious, but it's still nice to see the things-and sometimes the people-society tends to throw away have a shot at finding happiness, too.