Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny DVD Review

By Kam Williams

Jack Black Revisits His Rock Roots in Rowdy Road Movie

When not making movies, Jack Black can be found recording CDs and touring the country as half of Tenacious D, the self-proclaimed greatest rock-and-roll band of all time. Along with fellow guitarist Kyle Gass (who plays himself, here), Jack has created an irreverent brand of music which mocks the genre in much the way of his irrepressible, impish acting style.

Presumably mixing some fact with generous doses of revisionist history, this brash mockumentary chronicles the rise of Tenacious D, starting way back when the pair first met and decided that they were bound for glory. We see elder statesman Kyle taking Jack under his wing, offering him sage advice in the rules of performance, like "The power slide is the single most powerful stage move in any rocker's arsenal."

TenaciousD Poster Art New Line Home Entertainment

But when these geniuses' early collaborations fail to generate the anticipated overnight success, the two decide that the only missing element is a special guitar pick made from Satan's tooth said to possess magical powers. So, they embark on an epic quest for the Holy Grail, a rowdy road trip which unfolds like a cross of the Blues Brothers and This Is Spinal Tap.

JB seems considerably more comfortable onscreen than the relatively charisma-free KG, thus, it falls to Black and the supporting cast to carry the film, at least comedically. He is assisted somewhat in this endeavor by the cameo appearances of Tim Robbins, Meatloaf, Ben Stiller, Dave Grohl and John C. Reilly.

While the flick has a few funny moments likely to make the general public laugh, at heart it's a Tenacious D tribute layered with asides and inside jokes scripted with the group's diehard fans in mind. An overblown, self-aggrandizing bio-pic for those whose idea of humor is Jack Black mugging for the camera and satirizing himself.

Good (2 stars)
Rated R for sexuality, drug use, and pervasive profanity.
Running time: 93 minutes
Studio: New Line Home Entertainment
DVD Extras: Deleted and extended scenes, a Tenacious D music video, theatrical and teaser trailers, commentaries by the director and by co-stars Jack Black and Kyle Gass, "The Making of" plus a couple of additional featurettes.