Super Troopers 3
In 2001, comedy troop Broken Lizard broke into the mainstream with Super Troopers. That was a wacky stoner comedy about a group of bored Vermont state troopers getting themselves into trouble with bizarre shenanigans. They turned that success into a few other movies, some pretty funny, but only that debut was able to achieve cult classic status. Eventually, in 2018, they made the partially crowd-funded Super Troopers 2. That was a step down from the original, though funny in a dumb nostalgia kind of way. It turns out they had one more in them, as we now get Super Troopers 3, definitely the least of the series.
It is fun to see the boys acting like immature morons again, and there are a few big laughs. Nobody wants to see these guys grow up; that type of character development would be jarring and off-putting. Yet this mostly feels like leftovers. There just aren’t a lot of new ideas here. They don’t recycle nearly as much as they did in part 2 (“liter of cola” does not make a third appearance), however, the new gags aren’t as good. I enjoy Thorny, Mac, Farva, Foster and Rabbit as much as the next guy, but it’s probably time they went into retirement. There is a tease for Part 4 at the end; they should stop while they’re only a little behind.
This time around, the main plot centers on Thorny attempting to stop his sister from marrying Farva. Meanwhile, local syrup trucks keep getting vandalized. Those two threads tie together in a climactic confrontation that feels exactly like the endings of the first two movies in the franchise.
The most interesting change in Super Troopers 3 (97 minutes, plus outtakes over the end credits) is how they downplay the law enforcement aspect this time. That was a big part of the stories in the other two. Here, they barely do any police work, not even incompetently. I can only think of one scene where they screw with someone they pull over. They are now basically buddies who happen to be coworkers, which messes with the dynamic a bit.
They also change captains, as Brian Cox’s crotchety O’Hagan is retired, replaced by Nat Faxon’s toothless pushover Markowski. I generally find Faxon amusing, but Markowski’s most prominent character trait is loving Indian culture so much it goes all the way around to maybe being slightly racist. It starts off mildly unfunny and becomes less funny as the movie goes on. He has no chemistry with the Broken Lizard guys and his style doesn’t mesh with the tone.
In my review of Super Troopers 2, I noted there was a little too much Farva. He was better used in the original as someone who could come in, get a big laugh, then step into the background. Super Troopers 3 doubles down by making him central to the plot. He has some good lines, but his arc is unconvincing and ultimately pointless. After he stood naked covered in powdered sugar and cut his toe off with a shovel, threw it in a blender and drank it, where else is there for him to go? The answer is nowhere. While he remains gleefully obnoxious, the rest of the gang has essentially accepted his presence, making him less dangerous, and therefore less funny.
I didn’t expect a lot out of Super Troopers 3 and it landed where I thought it would. Still, part of me was happy to see them again. There is some fun stupidity to be had, despite it being an overall miss. I laughed, just not enough to recommend it. That said, if they do make another, I will want to see it.
2½ out of 5
Cast:
Jay Chandrasekhar as Thorny
Kevin Heffernan as Farva
Steve Lemme as Mac
Paul Soter as Foster
Erik Stolhanske as Rabbit
Andrew Dismukes as Coy
Nat Faxon as Markowski
Hannah Simone as Sarita
Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar
Screenplay by Broken Lizard
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