"Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny" Movie Review

Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny is really a movie meant for the most die-hard Tenacious D fans among us. Even ardent D fans aren't going to find much to enjoy with this disappointingly tedious film about the origin of Tenacious D.

Yes, the songs are fast, fun and furious, but the rocking duo of Jack Black and Kyle Gass can't carry this movie solely on the basis of their musical talents. Had the pair opted for a film more along the lines of a rock opera, the concept and story may have worked. However too much time is spent on talking and jokes that go nowhere, and not enough time is devoted to the music of The D.

Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny sort of answers the question of how Jack Black and Kyle Gass hooked up and became 'the greatest rock group in the world'. By 'sort of' I mean not at all. Black and Gass call their musical comedy a biopic but they're definitely using their very own definition of that term.

In The Pick of Destiny the two rockers meet up on a beach, form the group Tenacious D after putting their butts together (literally) and then set off to build up a killer reputation by winning a local talent competition. Told by the event's MC that they need to come up with a new song if they want to rock the house and take home the cash prize, the pair begin collaborating on a new tune.

No matter how high they get, they can't seem to nail the lyrics or music that will blow away their competition. But then a life-changing event occurs. Jack stumbles onto the fact all the great musicians use the same exact pick. After a music store employee explains that the pick is made from the Devil's horn and has mystical powers, the duo set off on a journey to steal the legendary pick from the Rock and Roll History Museum.

The Bottom Line

The premise might have worked as a half-hour sitcom but stretching the material out to fill the length of a feature film was not a wise idea. I like Tenacious D but by the end of the first 20 minutes, I was ready to pack it in. As a musical group Gass and Black are highly entertaining. Unfortunately for all concerned, the magnetism Gass and Black have on stage doesn't translate at all to the big screen.

The term 'one hit wonder' is used to describe musical groups who only manage to score one hit song. Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny is the movie equivalent of that musical label except for the 'hit' is more of a miss and the only wonder you feel is over how the project was greenlit in the first place.

GRADE: D