Review #996: Spice World (1997)

Title: Spice World
Year: 1997
Director: Bob Spiers
Country: UK
Language: English

The Spice Girls were an English Pop Girl group that formed in 1994 and became a global phenomenon in 1996. Their debut single "Wannabe" hit number one in 36 countries. Their debut album Spice sold more than 31 million copies and led to them being the best selling female group of all time. They are regarded as the biggest British phenomenon since The Beatlemania. Time even called them the most recognizable face(s) of 90's British youth culture. 

The Spice Girls gear up for their first Live concert at London's Royal Albert Hall, but along the way encounter aliens, a haunted castle and Elton John! (among other random oddities) 

Made in the same vein of The Beatles A Hard Day's Night, Spice World, unlike Vanilla Ice's Cool as Ice, was made at the right time to the right demographic. Much of the film's budget must have gone to cameos, as the plethora of stars (not including the main cast) involved include Roger Moore, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Elton John, Richard O'Brien, Jennifer Saunders, Richard E. Grant, Elvis Costello, and Meat Loaf. Though panned universally by critics, Spice World was a huge financial success, raking in $77 million at the box office. 

Though each girl has one distinctive characteristic about them (Posh likes clothes, Scary is scary, Sporty likes sports, Baby is uh...cute? like a baby?) none have the personality needed to carry a feature length film based on their likeness.  Granted much of this film is self parody (when being photographed Sporty ponders another name "What about Sporty but I'm actually interested in other things spice?) and some of the self-aware humor is actually a bit funny. 

Spice World, at least I hope, seems to be aware that it won't win anybody over by being a serious picture and thus does a fairly decent job at being a mindless energetic youth comedy. Its randomness (why are they trying to parody Close Encounters of the Third Kind!?) is part of its charm. Perhaps this will only appeal to fans of the group, but even outsiders must recognize that there are a LOT worst comedies out there.