A silly, breezy comedy
Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain has no right to be as entertaining as it is. This is a simple but enjoyable comedy about three friends who set out and try to find a secret treasure. There’s a lot of 90’s and 2000-esque comedy rippling through this, with clear influences to Without A Paddle and Road Trip.
The story centers on best friends Martin, John and Ben. They’ve been friends since Middle School and are still trying to relive their glory days as teens, but they’re 26 now and getting on a bit. Martin has a new girlfriend in Amy, Ben is on-course to taking over his father’s store, while John feels directionless and unsure where his life is going.
He can feel his friends start to drift away, and he realizes this treasure hunt could be his chance to bring the gang back together again for one more adventure. So off the boys go, and along the way they find their lives changed forever.
The treasure hunt is ultimately just a plot crux to elevate the comedy and the relationship between the three boys, which is the main drive and enjoyment in this one. In fact, the treasure hunt relies on simple and convenient plot contrivances to keep things ticking along and from a narrative perspective, it’s a little contrived and basic. However, its the comedy where this one shines.
Please Don’t Destroy is unashamedly dumb. It’s one of those corny and silly movies that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Of course, that does mean that some aren’t going to enjoy the comedic style but for those who do, you’re going to have a blast with this.
There’s a particularly funny joke early on where Martin panics and suggests a cheap house for him and Amy to move into. Unbeknownst to him, it happens to be owned by a super creepy old lady who poses in every picture. Another time, a secluded cult happen to have adopted the “All Lives Matter” mantra, much to hilarious effect.
And between these bigger set pieces are a litany of one-liners or silly scenes (like the constant singing and dancing numbers) that keep this one light and fun.
And fun is ultimately the name of the game here. Please Don’t Destroy is not looking to ignite the Oscars, nor is it going to be an adventure film that rivals the likes of Indiana Jones. What it is, however, is a rip-roaring good time that sets out to entertain.
The three boys have great chemistry together and riff off one another really well. There’s some foreshadowed scenes that come into play during the climax too for maximum comedic effect, and there’s enough variation here to keep you watching.
Even at just under 90 minutes though, there are parts of this that feel stretched out. The final act in particular is great but there’s a lot of hopping between locations super fast that feels a bit crowbarred into the narrative.
Minor gripes aside though, if you’re looking for a silly, breezy comedy that packs lots of jokes into its runtime, Peacock’s latest Original is definitely worth checking out. It is going to be an acquired taste of course, but if you enjoy what’s here, you’re bound to have a good time.
Read More: Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain Ending Explained
Feel free to check out more of our movie reviews here!
-
Verdict - 7/10
7/10