The Machine is a film that links to Bert Kreischer’s comedy special that made the Internet soar with traffic in 2016. The Machine is a fictionalized comedy with Kreischer playing himself.  His personality and comedic attitude are present throughout the film, but The Machine is just an average comedy. Luckily, the laughable gems in the movie are mostly on par.

The film focuses on Bert, a comedian who finds himself in turmoil due to family problems at home. When Bert’s father Albert (played by Mark Hamill) arrives, life becomes even more difficult for him. After the unpleasant surprise arrival of his father, Bert’s past in Russia comes back to haunt him leading Albert and Bert to be abducted. Despite Bert and Albert having a mixed relationship, they must work together to protect themselves from the dangers they face in Russia.

With Kreischer and Hamill playing father and son, there is an intriguing algorithm to their characterizations. Since Kreischer is a comedian and Hamill is a Star Wars alumni, The Machine is set up like a father and son tale. Their representation is a bit like two absent-minded jedis. The force is not with them in terms of being able to protect themselves, but it is with them when it comes to having witty chemistry which makes the movie amusing.

The words exchanged between Kreischer and Hamill are where the satisfaction lies in the film’s quality and where the most entertainment is to be found in The Machine. Many fans know that Kreischer’s signature move is taking off his shirt in his comedy shows. The act of removing his character’s shirt in The Machine is frequently linked to inducing laughter and providing comic relief.

The Russia connection links to a previous period when Kreischer’s character participates in a college trip abroad. From the movie, he was not the best student. That is where the link is made to the kidnapping scenario in The Machine. There is a “karma” theme played out in many layers of twisted parody. Fortunately, the director throws in joyful tangents which play to this theme, and which make the movie more interesting.

Although there is some backstory that adds a serious element to the film, “seriousness” is not the focus. The film is a farce with a comedic tone and writing. However, the continuity of the film seems to be lacking and the direction rushes to find the comedic moments. This causes the characterizations and setup to suffer.

Kresicher and Hamill give exceptional comedic performances in The Machine, making it must-see. Their unique humor had me laughing out loud throughout the show, resulting in an incredibly enjoyable experience. While it may not be groundbreaking, the pure hilarity delivered by The Machine easily connects with audiences, especially with the addition of Jedi veteran Hamill. Kreischer and Hamill’s frequent comedic banter kept me captivated from start to finish, and their chemistry is undoubtedly the star of the show. In my opinion, The Machine deserves two stars.