User Reviews

Looking back at this film- it has a lot of depth. Hard to relate to because of the general script and Shores presence. I am absolutely sure that it touched a lot of collegiate frosh and soph when released. All that under the radar. But it has definite depth for those who could directly relate . Odd life lessons. again, buried deep... throughout script. There have been a few attempts.. with maybe only 1 other "comedian" that had a such a ONE ON persona .. that challenged Studio heads at the time at the time. A lot out of SNL. But even, as much as those guys out of Chicago were. They varied. Shore really was unique, and still is. Not offered enough appropriate scripts, probably because they scripts **** AND Shore himself, was mislead.. not pushing enough for critical backing. Lesson: just because someone says to you that they are looking out for you .. that schmuck falls in the same category as "trust me, I do not lie". It took guts, what Shore attempted, and yeah, MTV.. really was a stage that a few "alumni" there took advantage of, with a few still relevant TODAY in 2026! His two main films, this and SON-IN-LAW the next year had producers put up and comers (ie: Brendon Fraser-others).. and old timer solids.. as support or team mates in these films. If you never saw ENCINO MAN, you probably were totally thrown off on Brendon Frasers' cameo in "SON-IN-LAW" as Encino Man and Shores' odd reaction to his presence in the college room chaos scene. Just like the NBC short-cited cancellation of STAR TREK due to being out of touch with the somewhat misunderstanding of its real audience or a number of Hollywood couch-casters putting down scripts like "THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN".. no wonder most of us are saying "how did that crap get made" about Film, TV, misc. streaming, etc. .. when we bother to check out the truck load of crapS coming out. (Hallmark is in a category all its own.. a formula scheme that makes money relying on solid authors and production crews with a training "stable" of respectable actor meat - it is a great business model ! ) Anyway, guaranteed is that there are stacks of great scripts in studio offices that are ignored due to political, religious and other idiot prejudices.. not counting the endless scripts that will never see the desk of a producer.. due to fears. Originality, curbed by Hollywood ignorance. GEEZ, maybe that is why Hollywood land is losing relevance by the Year.. with even the Oscars fading into gold PLATED sewage. Another Pauly Shore type would help everything.

I didn’t have kind memories of this one. A cheap, light comedy with a softball concept, reliant upon a very specific time and place, starring Pauly Shore? Brendan Fraser as a mostly nonverbal caveman in sunglasses and jam shorts? Lord have mercy. Imagine my surprise upon discovering it was halfway decent. Make no mistake, Encino Man is no landmark of cinema. It’s easy laughs and transparent setups, all the way. Even a cro-magnon could predict where the plot’s going. One visual punchline is so absurdly stupid, it’s become a lasting meme (imagine the single worst dusted white boy flattop of all time). But there’s also a unique charm to it, a loose sense of humor that just does its thing and hits its notes without worrying about what any outsiders might think. Encino Man was Shore’s first big shot after catching eyes and ears on MTV, so it’s hardly surprising that he lathers it with as much Totally Pauly valley boy attitude as he can muster. Keep riding the horse that got you to the race, right? That character wouldn’t have a very long shelf life - he’d nurture full go-away heat within the year - but as a herald of the ‘80s hangover, the ultimate affable SoCal stoner, his act actually sort of... works? Maybe because I hadn’t seen it in a long, long while and ninety minutes wasn’t enough for it to beat me over the head. He’s certainly the fuel behind this fire, lording over the high school arena and dusting it with a certain sense of skunky authenticity. Surrounded by so much outlandish culture and fashion (almost every scene includes at least one ensemble garish enough to elicit gasps and snickers) he seems right at home. He’s often a little above the melee, actually, snickering and cajoling like a slim, pink-headbanded pixie. Is this going to move you? No. Will it give you cause to roll your eyes? More than a few times. It did popularize the phrase “weazin’ the juice,” after all. Will it bore you, insult you, drive you to verbal violence? Nah. It’s silly but harmless, a mindless dose of inoffensive entertainment with more quality laughs than you might expect. Victims of Pauly Shore overload who are still coming to terms with their PTSD should steer clear, however: he’s everywhere, and he’s exactly how you remembered.

I would recommend to watch it and I love the characters and action of the movie.

4.0 It is kind of a dud but it is rather fun. I feel it is content just being a dumb movie.

Although Encino Man is a dud of a movie, we can all say it's sorta a rip-off to the first Bill & Ted movie, upset that one is actually better.