Reviewed by Aaron Haynes

A comedy about a first-time bank robber made by a first-time director, Slightly Confused is one of those films that unintentionally describes it's own nature -- the plot doesn't seem to be quite sure where it's going, many of the jokes feel forced or even tentative, and as a whole it comes off as careful first step into the world of big-name 3dmm films. Ultimately, it's too long, too quiet, and runs out of steam, but the leisurely paced plot is accentuated by moments of true comic inspiration. It's the kind of sloppiness that leaves you wanting more, not less.

Let's be honest: A comedy about a bank robber is not the most original idea in the world. Our very own Andres de la Hoz once unknowingly used SC's entire plot synopsis as an example for brainless 3DMM movie plots. But comedies have many layers, and among them involves the ability to take a basic idea and present it in an original, professional way; after all, just because there are only so many notes in an octave doesn't mean we've run out of songs. Slightly Confused plays like a "Greatest Hits" collection of all of the best jokes Orcus could think up about the concept, but in an odd way, it almost works. While the movie is far from perfect, there's a definite plot arc involving the bank takeover, police involvement, negotiations, and the resolution. We make a lot of stopovers for various gags and it pokes along pretty slowly, but it's a full story and it doesn't disappoint overall.

I'm not entirely sure about the main character, to be honest with you. We know he's a bank robber, and we know he's fairly incompetent. But he just can't quite hold the show on his own. This goes for the cops and nearly every other supporting character as well....Orcus has created a world where everyone is just lacking the common sense needed to push the plot forward at a steady pace. Maybe the sequel could introduce a rival thief, fresh from another town, who seems to be the only one with a drop of intelligence? It's extremely tough to get a good handle on the story when there aren't any characters we can really relate to.....maybe that's why the bank tellers appealed to me so much. Something to consider, anyway.

Technical aspects are a mixed bag. Orcus has a good eye for scenery, but his mastery of the program is still in its early stages here. Some of the early angles are very well-placed -- the wide angle shot of the street during the cab joke, for instance. The animation and construction are competent if not spectacular, and actually above average for a concept-based comedy. Not as colorful as say, Sgt. Steve or Osama's Heroes, but it does well for the environment that was picked. Direction is very mellow; there's a low-energy feel to scenes, most of which sit still and alternate angles when necessary, and being confined to one setting for most of the film definitely plays a role in that. The style of the movie worked for what it was, but it only occasionally surpassed the 'competent' level in several of these aspects.

Sound was definitely a weak link, and this ties in directly to the pacing of the movie. For the longest time, something bugged me about the way Slightly Confused played, but I couldn't figure out what. Then I realized: It's too damned quiet. There's very little music that isn't used specifically for gags, and a lot of the movie's sound effects involve standing around and listening to the police chief yell into a loudspeaker or talk to his fellow officers. The voice acting is tricky. Orcus is good at character types, but the police chief sounds forced and way too archetypal. Disguising your voice for multiple characters isn't easy, and he does a good job of it as a whole, but like many other parts of the movie, it's mostly just competent and not exceptional.

I realize I'm making the movie sound mediocre, and in some ways it kind of is. But as I said, there are hints that, with careful fine-tuning and extensive focus, this guy could create something amazing. There are parts where the writing just shines; the cab driver simply taking the robber across the street after such a long discussion, the bank tellers trying to figure out what they should do next, the police stopping for the old guy on his extremely slow moving cart, the demands list.....Orcus sinks low for some gags, but aims really high for others. He just needs to figure out what gets a belly-laugh and what just warrants a sympathy smile at best (come on, man....Michael Jackson? Though it was set up quite well with the Police Cheif's reluctance to use him, and the reasons he gave for not doing so at first).

On the whole, it's a successful first outing, a somewhat fun if not absolutely engaging experience, and a great look at fantastic things to come from this director. It's peaks and valleys most of the way, but there's a lot to like here. And the slow pace of the movie can be seen as a necessary evil when Moderately Confused hits the New Releases with a heightened tempo and a hell of a lot more supporting characters, especially since it could only have worked because of what's already been established here.

Critical Score: 69/100.
Personal Score: 74/100.