It's Showtime
One has to wonder what the world is coming to when you see distinguished actors/actresses like Robert De Niro, Eddy Murphy (ok that ones up to personal opinion) and Rene Russo turn out such crap; I guess everyone needs a break from doing quality work once in a while. Showtime is a movie that will leave you physically and mentally drained, not because of its non-stop action, or its hilarious banter, but because of its massive amount of unoriginality and often innate corniness.
Showtime is a cookie-cutter 'buddy-cop' movie in its most basic form, it presents us with an age old formula we've seen a million times before. Robert De Niro plays a no-nonsense stubborn curmudgeonly detective named Mitch Preston whose sole purpose is to lead a dull life - save making horrible pottery - and to catch bad guys. He's forced to pair up with Trey Sellars (Eddie Murphy), a wannabe-actor-beat patrolman for a new reality based TV show that suspiciously resembles the 'Cops' formula (as noted in the movie).
Preston is blackmailed into doing the show by both the LAPD - whom for which he works - and a floundering television network that wants the new show for a ratings boost. The project is headed by none other than Chase Renzi (Rene Russo), a struggling TV producer who was captivated by Prestons reaction to the media frenzy surrounding his ongoing undercover case in which he shoots a media camera "causing big troubles for the LAPD PR department." So the two cop's team up - under surveillance of the public eye to catch a man named Cesar Vargas played by Pedro Damian. Vargas is clearly the bad guy from the beginning, as his introductory frame in the movie is portrayed in the dark shadows and his voice is carried heavily over the phone with a European accent - Warner Bros. really couldn't have made it anymore of a mystery.
While the plot is focused on Vargas's illegal gun activities - stockpiling handheld, specially-made, fully automatic .50 C machine guns - the real meat of the plot is contained within the interactions of De Niro and Murphy as they continuously work off of each other by parodying themselves. There will be few moments where you'll miss out on their bickering back and fourth. The plot progression is quite obvious from the beginning, what is not however are the almost randomly seeming outbreaks of humor flung sparsely throughout the movie. These acts are then followed up with the completely unsatisfying attribute of a joke that's been elongated to the point of ruin. Sure you have the occasional coke sniffing dog, humorous police movie/show reference, or cameo, but in general nothing much is accomplished by the flick.
On a positive note, Showtime has been acted out well - as well as it could been for a half-assed comedy anyway. Eddie Murphy plays his usually outrageous funny character, as De Niro does a realistic police stickler. Equally impressive are Rene Russo's pushy, yet hyper rants about what the American audience wants/needs to see. William Shatner also makes an appearance as himself - veteran of TJ Hooker, to which Showtime yields and uncanny resemblance. Shatner plays camera coach to the two detectives, to show then how TV cops are really supposed to act, look, and accomplish stunts, making up some of the more humorous parts in the movie.
While De Niro's character tries to portray the image of a realistic cop, he somehow finds himself into the world of Hollywood; complete with car chases, the firing of heavy artillery, explosions, and stunt work. Held within Showtime are your typical action sequences, the only thing to really take not of - and really the highlight of the movie - are Cesar Vargas's custom made weapons. These beauties do massive amounts of damage; everything from demolishing houses, to blowing up Brinks trucks, to flooding the floor of an office building.
Overall the movie wasn't anything too special, it turns out to be your typical comedy, only less complete as the humor in most sequences come to a disappointing conclusion. Showtime will provide you with enough content to neither keep you from throwing up from boredom, nor will it send your emotions into rapturous frenzy; it should really only be seen as a last resort, maybe even worth a rent in 3 months.