"Sausage Party" Review
Upon much anticipation and tons of media attention, Sausage Party is an animated film starring food on a quest to infiltrate the world of the Gods. The scandalous and even offensive satire was definitely a unique twist on the imaginary life of food. Among the countless animated films which have ushered in the big bucks for the box office such as A Bug’s Life, Monsters Inc., and many other classics, this smart, visually creative film diverges from standard many differing opinions as the film takes jabs at everything from religion to politics to ethnicity. Thanks to the clever and humorous styles of Seth Rogen, Sausage Party was salvaged despite derogatory themes.
Putting a twist on the typical superhero plot, Sausage Party presents the protagonist, Frank the all-beef hotdog. Frank, played by genius comedian Seth Rogen (Neighbors), is anticipating being “chosen by the Gods” to venture out into the “Great Beyond” where he will live the luxurious life promised to him with the other 7 hotdogs packaged alongside him. The tale of the “Great Beyond” is repeatedly relished into the minds of every food item at Shopwell’s Supermarket through a song sung every morning by the booming voice of an ear of corn. To Frank, life would be seemingly useless without the companionship of Brenda the Bun played by Kristin Wigg (Bridesmaids). The “Great Beyond” promises the opportunity for both Brenda and Frank to leave their packages and fall madly in love. A jar of honey mustard, wonderfully played by Danny McBride (Pineapple Express), returns from the “Great Beyond” bearing the crushing news: the “Great Beyond” is nowhere near what they had been told. After a collision of two carts Brenda and Frank end up on the floor, where a scene closely mirroring the movie Saving Private Ryan is played out and they are left with little time to return to their food displays. Brenda and Frank, along with Teresa the Taco (Salma Hayek, Grown Ups) Sammy Bagel Jr (Edward Norton, Birdman) and Lavash (David Krumholtz, This Is the End) spend the remainder of the movie running from the unnamed, pun-filled villain.
Director Seth Rogen stated that he had spent roughly 10 years striving to perfect his process based on how Pixar creates their innovative delights. Rogen gave praise to Pixar for brilliantly inventing countless paradigms in cinema including Cars and Toy Story that inspired him to create the amusing story focusing on food and his depiction of their life. He aimed to follow their footsteps and knowing Seth Rogen, he took his own deranged and inappropriate approach the way only Rogen can. With other additional talents like Michael Cera (Superbad), Jonah Hill (21 Jump Street), Bill Hader (Inside Out), James Franco (This is The End) and many other comical geniuses, Rogen had the perfect, hysterical group to accompany his masterpiece who, despite being an animated film, are masterfully able to convey their chemistry.
The fashion in which Seth Rogen constructs his comedy is truly one of a kind and words could not, and should not, dare attempt to recreate. Sausage Party is absolutely hilarious with its creative characters and unique personalities Rogen and his all-star cast brings to the table. Despite very obscene, disgusting scenes that come along with food and the means of their existence, Rogen unearths a way to produce a new cult phenomenon. Throughout the movie there is an abundance of mature references with a total 219 accounted explicits within the 89 minute movie, involving overwhelming amounts of drug and sexual references and an unsettling finale. Matching the untamed characters with Rogen’s raunchy comedy stylings, Sausage Party is a must see with the appropriate party, otherwise attendees will face what could possibly be the most unbearable and uncomfortable 89 minutes of their lives.
Grade: B