Haggard (2003)

Don't listen to the negative reviews

As Good As It Gets

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

In honor of the late Ryan Dunn, I felt I needed to watch Haggard: The Movie. I watched the sequel to the film made six years after this, Minghags, and really enjoyed it. Seeing this one, it clears up a lot of the confusion I had with Minghags. I wasn't aware this was the predecessor to the film, but seeing it now, really makes me take a liking to Bam Margera's independent style of filmmaking.Before Jackass, Bam Margera took part in a series of videos he called CKY (named after the band). He wound up making several volumes of him and his friends, like Raab Himself, Ryan Dunn, Rake Yohn, etc, goofing around and being themselves. Then he went on to be a member of Jackass and do his own MTV shows like Bam's Unholy Union and Viva La Bam. Haggard: The Movie was the middle of the road coming out in 2003. A year after the first Jackass movie.It's supposedly a true story remade with the characters in the movie are played by Bam's friends. Ry (Dunn) is upset when he finds out his girlfriend Glauren (Rivell) wants time apart. He then realizes that she is hanging out with a heavy-metal punk nicknamed Hellboy (Yohn). To help their friend out, Valo (Margera), Falcone (DiCamillo), and Raab Himself (Raab) all try to vandalize Glauren's house. But Ry is still sinking deeper and deeper into a mental depression.The humor is totally up my alley with lots of rough housing, name calling, and well acted, natural conversations. The movie is not too long or too short. It is perfectly managed. The only downside is it has one montage too many. Many of the montages in the movie are set to skateboarders with rock music by CKY, Gnarkill, and H.I.M. in the background. I have no problem with any of the music played, but there are at least four montages in the film that go on for way too long.Other than that, the film is pretty close to perfect. I was under the assumption that since most of these guys are used to doing dangerous stunts they couldn't really do justice acting in a full length movie. I was way off. They pulled if off perfectly. In no way was I expected Bam and Dunn could both act as well as they did.Between the soundtrack, the filming style, the humor, the acting, and the story, Haggard: The Movie wins in every category. Except the fact that the number of montages can be tedious, and the subplot of an invention doesn't really take off as much, but we see it done with more in the sequel. Haggard: The Movie is not only a great film, but a great way to remember an amazing actor and daredevil.Starring: Ryan Dunn, Jenn Rivell, Bam Margera, Brandon DiCamillo, Chris Raab, Rake Yohn, and Vincent Margera.

The first time I saw this movie I was like what the hell is this.. but there were definitely some laughs. Watched it again and its still pretty funny. I'm a big Bam, CKY, HIM, Ryan Dunn fan, so this movie basically covers it all. Sure its a dumb movie..it's not supposed to be any kind of masterpiece, but..if you feel like watching a weird, moderately entertaining movie..go for this one. Raab and Dico have pretty hilarious characters and Bam and Ryan are a little more..normal..sort of, but whatever they're just cool people in general. This movie is like a little Jackass mixed with some random stuff mixed with some cool time-lapse cinematography set to some good HIM songs. So come on, watch it at least once.

While some of the things in Haggard are dumb and unnecessary, the overall package is good. Haggard follows Ryan Dunn and his friends Valo (Bam Margera) and Falcone (Brandon Dicamillo) trying to win back Glauren (Jenn Rivell), Ryan's ex. The story is followed and developed surprisingly well, it doesn't wonder off and become an episode of Jackass or Viva La Bam, although it does have a side story which doesn't hurt the main story.And, for all the Bam fan boys (And girls) there are multiple sequences of Bam skateboarding, perhaps the weakest aspect of the film. Phil makes 2 surprisingly small appearances, even Don Vito got a bigger (but pointless) roll.If you are hoping to see a comedy and escape Bam's craziness, then stay away from this movie, otherwise, enjoy the time you spend with it, if you can find it. There are some truly funny scenes in this film.

The CKY2 Gang are much funnier with DV cams and someone running around with a pogo stick. When Bam Margera and company try to formulate fictional elements into a cohesive story, the results are disastrous. Ryan Dunn (the guy that ate a Matchbox car), gives a poor performance that only stops bothering us when he's running around or watching his holmies skateboard. Bam's film-making isn't much better. Without the benefit of explosions or running into walls, he hits us over the head with time-lapse shots or images of Ryan sadly sitting in his bed. Unfortunately, none of it works and one begins to wish they could eject this DVD and replace it with the original Westchester, PA works. Nonetheless, there is a bright spot in the film. And, that is Chris Raab. Commpletely blowing his co-star Brandon DiCimillio out of water, Raab's portrayal of a retarded version of Raab himself is quite funny. If only there was more of him and less Dunn.