The title, Crooked Arrows, connotes perseverance in the face of adversity, noting that a crooked arrow can be just as efficient as a straight one if you take the time to learn how to use it. And in case we couldn't establish this life-altering afterschool message on our own, there's a vision quest interlude at the midway point of this lacrosse-playing, Native spin on the Bad News Bears/Mighty Ducks formula, wherein it's clearly spelled out via exposition by an ersatz spiritual leader.
To boot, each underdog team player has a vision of their spiritual animal ― visually represented by sound effects and bad stock footage ― which pops up at key moments throughout the film (think Hot Rod, only without the intended humour).
Directed by Steve Rash (of American Pie: Band Camp and Bring it On: In it to Win It infamy), this tired sports formula replica has the visual panache of a Family Channel Original movie or any given straight-to-DVD release of a popular family-friendly sequel. There's a sassy old woman that spouts dialogue like, "that's how I roll," which is absolutely hilarious to everyone on-screen, and an extended musical montage to Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping," wherein the plucky young lacrosse players get their act together in a very short period of time.
In this sense, the broad humour, awkward contrivances and amusing use of Brandon Routh in the Emilio Estevez/Walter Matthau role could work, in a Cable TV distraction for the children kind of way, but Arrows has its sights set on an older audience. In addition to the nudity ― although, since it's an overweight person that's naked, it's likely intended as comedy, having no sexual context ― the trajectory gag of the film involves a misinterpretation of Haudenosaunee dialect, leaving the boys to exclaim, "vagina dodge" in their native tongue on the field repeatedly.
This leaves only the ham-fisted expression of sovereignty and minor factoids about the Haudenosaunee people to bring a sense of purpose to this uncomfortable and unintentionally laughable inspirational sports movie. At least it examines and humanizes beliefs not normally represented on film.
(Alliance)To boot, each underdog team player has a vision of their spiritual animal ― visually represented by sound effects and bad stock footage ― which pops up at key moments throughout the film (think Hot Rod, only without the intended humour).
Directed by Steve Rash (of American Pie: Band Camp and Bring it On: In it to Win It infamy), this tired sports formula replica has the visual panache of a Family Channel Original movie or any given straight-to-DVD release of a popular family-friendly sequel. There's a sassy old woman that spouts dialogue like, "that's how I roll," which is absolutely hilarious to everyone on-screen, and an extended musical montage to Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping," wherein the plucky young lacrosse players get their act together in a very short period of time.
In this sense, the broad humour, awkward contrivances and amusing use of Brandon Routh in the Emilio Estevez/Walter Matthau role could work, in a Cable TV distraction for the children kind of way, but Arrows has its sights set on an older audience. In addition to the nudity ― although, since it's an overweight person that's naked, it's likely intended as comedy, having no sexual context ― the trajectory gag of the film involves a misinterpretation of Haudenosaunee dialect, leaving the boys to exclaim, "vagina dodge" in their native tongue on the field repeatedly.
This leaves only the ham-fisted expression of sovereignty and minor factoids about the Haudenosaunee people to bring a sense of purpose to this uncomfortable and unintentionally laughable inspirational sports movie. At least it examines and humanizes beliefs not normally represented on film.
