Comedy – Action | Buddy
Created by Mikey Neumann and Anthony Burch
Starring
- Mikey Neumann
- Anthony Burch
Synopsis: Mikey is sent back from the future to protect Anthony – who is going to save the world. Somehow. There are demons, KFC, and suits too.
Review:
Anthony Saves the World is a twenty-something man-boys fever dreams; dialogue as sharp as the actors crisp suits, katanas, dubstep, gunplay, and buckets of chicken and nerd-culture are all combine in a mishmash of science fiction, parody, and comedy. As far as how well it succeeds, the results are as varied as the content.
Mikey Neumann is the creative director of Borderlands, one of the most conceptually original games to come out in the last few years, and Anthony Burch is the creator of hit webseries Hey Ash Whatcha Playing. They’re both writers, and it shows; the dialogue is pristine, and though neither of them really act at any point (and moments of high tension are simply yelled loudly instead of with emotion), there are some truly stellar moments of comedy.
However, the action part of the equation really falters in the structure of a webseries. The entire series (as of episode 6) takes place in a house and backyard. The demons the men fight are simply given motocross helmets and turtlenecks. Whereas the comedy can be sharp, fast, and direct, the action scenes are bloated, clunky, repetitive. Swordfight in the living room, shootout in the den – it sounds more exciting than it is. Though technology has advanced stupendously for amateur filmmakers in recent years and allows for people to accomplish a lot more with a lot less, the series still suffers for its ambition in this regard.
There hasn’t been any narrative movement since episode one; a few rules of the world are fleshed out, there are a couple interesting reveals, but they all lack significance. Anthony continues to spend his time in the living room while Mikey continues to slaughter demons. It’s the same thing every episode, and though each episode opens with a countdown to the end of the world, there’s no tension because there aren’t any stakes as of yet.
However, Anthony Saves the World still manages to entertain. Mikey and Anthony seem to be having fun with the series, and it translates to an enjoyable experience for the viewer. The world seems thought out, and I’m most interested in seeing how these parts come together. The first season of a webseries is rarely indicative as to where the series will end up. Actors get more comfortable in their role, editors become more frugal, effects coordinators become more adept – really, a webseries is a chance for amateurs to become professionals. Though the series hasn’t found its groove yet, the foundation is there. All that remains is for it to fulfill its own ambition.
