The Ten DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Irreverent Comedy Illustrating the Ten Commandments Out on DVD

Like a latter-day Moses, Jeff Reigert (Paul Rudd) has assumed the task of bringing the world the Ten Commandments. What’s weird is that this self-appointed messenger of God is hardly a model messiah, since he’s currently breaking one of the Commandments himself by cheating on his wife (Famke Janssen) with a much younger woman (Jessica Alba).
Nonetheless, when not dealing with complications flowing from his sordid love triangle, he devotes his time to introducing a series of sketches, each illustrating a different Biblical maxim, whether Thou Shalt Not Kill, Thou Shalt Not Steal, Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery, or elsewhat. The film’s opening scenario, ostensibly covering the Lord’s proscription against having false gods, revolves around a skydiver whose parachute fails to open, leaving him permanently impaled in the ground neck deep, yet somehow still alive.
If you’re having a hard time figuring out exactly what that has to do with the First Commandment, join the club. The truth is that The Ten is comprised of an assortment of disjointed silly skits which only link back to the basic theme in a very loose fashion. The movie’s bigger problem, however, is that it is rarely funny, this despite an ensemble cast full of recognizable faces such as Winona Ryder, Oliver Platt, Ron Silver, Live Schreiber, Bobby Cannavale and Kerri Kenney.
To get a decent feel for what to expect from this impossible to pigeonhole production, picture a cross of a typical Monty Python adventure and Woody Allen’s Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Sex. Invariably, the slipshod vignettes look unrehearsed, improvised, unedited and generally rudderless.
A blasphemous parody so painful to sit through it seems designed by the Almighty as punishment for heathens and sinners.

Fair (1 star)
Rated R for nudity, profanity, drug use and crude sexuality.
Running time: 93 minutes
Studio: City Lights Home Entertainment
DVD Extras: Over 55 minutes of alternate take and deleted scene vignettes, cast audio commentary, rated and unrated trailers, ringtones, wallpaper, weblinks, interviews, “The Making of” featurette and more.