The Great Zohan | Editor's Choice |

We don't need generals. We don't need politicians. We need a guy who can roundhouse kick a terrorist, then stop to tell him his split ends are looking tragic.

The premise is absurd. Sandler plays Zohan with the physicality of a washed-up pro wrestler and the libido of a caffeinated rabbit. He defeats his enemies with impromptu breakdancing, catches bullets with his nose, and famously uses a hummus-fueled "cannon" to win a fight. On the surface, it’s a greatest hits reel of Happy Madison gross-out gags. The key to understanding The Zohan is recognizing that the juvenile humor is the delivery mechanism for the message. Sandler isn't just being dumb; he is weaponizing dumbness to disarm the viewer. the great zohan

It is not a great film in the traditional sense. It is too long. Some jokes have aged poorly (the electroshock therapy "gag" is a tough watch). But as a text, it is fascinating. It suggests that Adam Sandler, hidden behind a tan and a terrible perm, might have made the most radical anti-war statement of the 21st century. We don't need generals

4 out of 5 stars. Not for the easily offended, the humorless, or those who think hummus is just a dip. For everyone else? Let’s go make some silky smooth. The premise is absurd

In 2008, the world was a very different place. Gas prices were spiking, the War on Terror was in its seventh year, and Adam Sandler was the undisputed king of a very specific brand of lucrative, low-brow comedy. When the trailer dropped for You Don’t Mess with the Zohan , audiences saw the same formula they expected: Sandler with a funny accent, slapstick violence, and a scene involving a fish (or in this case, a bottle of Sprite) used in an inappropriate manner.

Think about the core conflict. The film posits that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, one of the most intractable geopolitical quagmires of the modern era, is actually a macho misunderstanding fueled by outdated pride. Zohan and his nemesis, "The Phantom" (John Turturro, giving one of the most unhinged and brilliant performances of his career), are mortal enemies in the Middle East. But when they move to New York and are forced to live next to each other, they realize they have more in common than they thought.

They both love disco. They both love hummus. And, most importantly, they both hate the guy who buys the last pack of "Fizzy Bubblech" soda.