Having spent a couple of weeks in New Zealand, I'm rather surprised at the recent rise in Kiwi comedies finding their way to the states. You see, Kiwis aren't funny. There's no real hint of any substantial sense of humor in their country at all. Then again, maybe I just don't get it.

The only reason "Eagle vs. Shark" is being released is due to the success of "Flight of the Conchords". "Eagle vs. Shark" stars Jemaine Clement, one half of the Conchords duo. The movie relies on much of the same deadpan humor as "Flight of the Conchords". Actually, I think it's not technically humor as I'm guessing real Kiwis don't find this stuff funny at all. They've just realized that Americans find the normal average Kiwi weirdness to be hysterical so they've exported their regular behavior over here. You see, Americans go over to New Zealand, start laughing for no reason, and the Kiwis have realized they can sell whatever it is we're laughing at.

Clement plays Jarrod, an uber geek, the kind that's embarrassing to look at because he doesn't know how to dress himself, embarrassing to listen to because he seems to lack any self-awareness at all about his geekiness, and embarrassing to watch perform any kind of physical activity whatsoever because he doesn't have a single ounce of coordination. Somehow this hasn't stopped Jarrod from having a child and bedding Lily (Loren Horsley), who falls for Jarrod based solely on the fact that he frequents a fast food joint where she works.

A short word about actress Loren Horsley is necessary at this point. First of all, she's the main character in the film and the story is told from her point-of-view. I just started with Clement because people know who he is. Lily is a girl nerd and has no social skills whatsoever. However, a picture of Horsley on IMDB reveals that she's hot, like superhot. I mean, that's just not right. Remember "Welcome to the Dollhouse" with that actress Heather Matarazzo. Now that's a geek. She was really not attractive. Loren Horsley is just hot. She just slummed it for this role, which is kind of like a white guy trying to play black. Horsley simply isn't one of us. I now resent her and this film.

That being said this is your typical tale of weird love with all manner of oddity occurring when Lily and Jarrod arrive together in his hometown to meet his family. Trying to explain what exactly happens and why would just be an exercise in futility. Rest assured though, it's like a festival of deadpan humor with one actor trying to one-up the next actor with her deadpan reaction.

When I was in New Zealand I went hiking and didn't laugh at a single Kiwi because they didn't do anything funny. I didn't see their deadpan nature as humorous so much as a time-saver. That it somehow has been translated into a comic genre is a bit disturbing.