Your Highness – DVD Review

The sword and the stoned

Release Date: 8 August 2011
2011 | 15 | 98 minutes | £11.99 (DVD)/£14.99 (Blu-ray)
Distributor: Entertainment One
Director: David Gordon Green
Cast: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux, Charles Dance, Damian Lewis

In Pineapple Express, Danny McBride and James Franco proved that stoner comedy could, against all the odds, be funny, well-made and surprisingly heartfelt. In Your Highness, the less-than-dynamic duo are paired together for the duration, this time in a fantasy world that will take you straight back to the ’80s.

Prince Thaddeus (Danny McBride) is the underachieving, perma-stoned brother of Prince Fabious (James Franco), the muscled hero of a realm ruled over by their imperious father (Charles Dance). When Fabious’s betrothed, Belladonna (the lovely Zooey Deschanel) is kidnapped by sleazy sorcerer Leezar (Justin Theroux), the brothers head out to defeat the wizard, win back the maiden and say “fuck” a lot.

Whether you dig Your Highness or not will very much depend on where you stand on Danny McBride’s style of expletive-laden, full frontal comedy. The gags are consistently crude, and although the cast are clearly having lots of fun swearing in cod-English accents, it’s a joke that wears thin quickly. The fantasy setting is lovingly created though, and there’s enough affectionate pastiche and ridiculous action to keep you engaged until the final confrontation. Definitely one for fans of the occasional jazz fag.

Extras:

Loads to get stuck into, including “Damn You Gods: The Making Of Your Highness”, a commentary with video intro, deleted scenes, alternate scenes and a gag reel.