The Real Cancun (2003) User Reviews

Oh Wow, I get to see other people party

[TDavis12 · 2/10 · 24 April 2003]

Mini-spoilers within.

The Real Cancun is a faux cinema verite look at a dozen college-aged partiers who go to Cancun for spring break. Watching this film leads me to the following conclusions: 1) Partying is fun; 2) Watching other people party is not fun; and 3) Shelling out nine bucks to watch other people party is pathetic. Fortunately, I didn't have to pay to see it because it was an advance screening. The main problem is that if you watched the film to see the party scene in Cancun, you would only get an inkling because the film focused on the goings-on of the dozen subjects-none of whom I found interesting (example: a young woman tells a guy that once she caught her boyfriend with her best friend; he responded that he never experienced anything that intense in his life; if that's true, it's time for him to go out and experience life). Small talk permeates the film. I can hear small talk on the street.

Even for the type of person into the cheesy Girls Gone Wild tapes, this movie is a disappointment. There is a steamy wet t-shirt contest early in the film but that's about it. The subjects start to pair off. A guy and a gal get busy under a blanket in a room with the night vision camera rolling-at breakfast next morning, the guy treats her as if she had SARS-that was cold. One final thought about The Real Cancun: there are a dozen college students and not one of them was smoking weed. What gives there? This is probably the first film that has Snoop Dogg in it in which there is no weed-smoking. This film is to documentaries what Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is to musicals.

Not as bad as it could have been. I was entertained.

[mizary · 3/10 · 14 May 2003]

This film was not as bad as people made it out to be. True, it's no Citizen Kane, but it wasn't meant to be Citizen Kane.

It was meant to be a fun "reality type" movie based on TV shows like Real World, big brother, etc...

And I thought it was fairly realistic for the circumstances. It had a few funny parts, a few sexy parts, and a few dramatic parts... What were people expecting from this film?

I loved all the high school type drama in this movie. Although you would have to be a teenage girl to keep up with who was sleeping with whom.

I didn't think the small talk in the movie was distracting at all. I loved just watching people talk normally, it gave the characters some credibility. With survivor everything seems scripted because the edit the comments so skillfully.

The movie wasn't the best, but I was definitely entertained, and that's worth something.

3/10

--mizary

Maybe the Worst Movie Ever

[vidog316 · 2/10 · 26 April 2003]

This was maybe the worst movie I have ever seen in my entire life. Thank God I did not pay to see it. However, despite how awful it was, I found myself entertained at the characters stupidity. With the exception of Paul and Jorell, pretty much everybody in the movie was a grade A loser. The only reason I did not give this movie a "1" is because of the enjoyment of laughing at these pitiful creations.

the fake people

[movieman_kev · 1/10 · 17 May 2005]

MTV is the epitome of narcissistic superficial artificial slack-jawed mentality that has changed the direction in the youth of American culture for the worse. And the film is quite possibly the nadir of said stupidity. In it a group of young blank twenty-somethings slither their war through spring break in Cancun sharing a beach house (a la "Real World). How these rocket scientists can share a house when they don't even share a braincell among them is a mystery for the ages. One of them is a sober geek who never drank so much of the "reality" movie is based on getting him wasted. All of this is accompanied by mostly flavor of the week crappy music that again is like MTV. Horrible.

My Grade: F

Un-cannily works as an 'All-American' reality movie, not set there of course...

[Quinoa1984 · 1/10 · 26 April 2003]

...and in a blatant way can be seen for viewers across the world as a comparison to the Roman Empire. In fact, I could see an interesting comparison between The Real Cancun and Fellini's Satyricon, since both works deal with the constant, superfluous binging and purging of sex and partying. But of course, Real Cancun can not hold a candle; make that a lighter, to Satyricon in terms of movie-making.

The Real Cancun is a spin-off of the Real World, which in and of itself is an oxymoron of an idea for a show since the players audition to be ON the Real World and then the seasons that have since gone on in the 90's show how they don't work, sit around there houses all day, get assignments from staff people, party, or go and team up with the cast of Road Rules. Now, however, the producers have decided to turn the show into a movie, in which they find more desperate and privileged 18-24 year olds who want to have fun during spring break in Mexico's Cancun.

The docu-movie could (or now I should say could've) work as a full-on documentary, yet it doesn't seem there is anything real when dealing with HIRED people who feel they need to heighten there expressions, mannerisms, and dialogue when on camera. There is very possibly not one minute of footage where a character is caught off guard while the camera is on him and her (this excludes the quick scenes of a hidden camera in the rooms as couples have rapid-fire sexual encounters), and thus it comes off as mostly dribble for people in there age group, such as myself, to laugh at.

The people are real, to be certain, and that's the film's, as well as the show's, crutch - whenever a director tells real people to act as themselves, which is never the case when dealing with the intellect of these caricatures - when a group of staff personnel host parties and out of nowhere Snoop Dogg shows up it shows as a quasi-reality, interesting, perhaps, but certainly not something that can easily be identified with. At least in Jackass: the Movie, there was a sense of jubilant, if constantly crude, humor to the proceedings of the reality of the situation (i.e. a mother finding an alligator right in here kitchen). That there are so many booze, sex, and gossip actors going through the same motions scene after scene (should I have another body shot? Should I go out in the ocean drunk? Should I go the next step with this girl? Etc.) makes it very tough to handle after a while.

I know there is, and will be evidently, an audience for this picture; lord knows that's how the show has been running ad nauseum for the past 10+ years- but make no mistake, this is NOT for a wide range of audiences. Coincidentally, similar to a Fellini movie (except that any one Fellini scene works with a much higher intellect than this entire movie does)...I can personally say, as someone who considers himself a fairly sociable and fun-loving guy, that if I was around these people for longer than a day or night I'd have an aneurism (unless I was drunk enough, of course) ....so, as a view of my generation, objectively, I actually give it a B+. However, as a film in and of itself, it's a stinking F+ (a + for the moment with the jellyfish).

The beginning of the end for this terrible reality craze

[Agent10 · 1/10 · 28 April 2003]

The Real Cancun was a sorry excuse for filmmaking, if not on mankind. Sixteen privileged kids go out and have fun drinking and basically being idiots for an hour and half, fused together with rock songs and pointless, shallow banter. Fortunately, the negative backlash for this garbage is intriguing, considering the lust most Americans have for reality bull such as this. But then again, this movie was just boring, and idiocy of the people involved just wanted to make me toss my drink at the screen. Hopefully, this whole reality TV faze I looked back upon with distaste, and we can thank The Real Cancun for starting that much needed downward spiral.

How bad can movies get?

[ferret53 · 1/10 · 9 September 2004]

Appalling.

It provides its own reward for the cast, who will no doubt buy copies to show their grandkids. I hope they're proud; I'm sure their parents are. The poor specimens of today's youth that it portrays, foul mouthed and ignorant, are regrettably typical of the lower end of the IQ pool, but what's worse is that it fails even in its promise of a T&A movie.

Let's be honest about this; it's like Big Brother. The only reason to get this out is to look at naked young bodies; after all, you can always turn the sound down and fast forward through the talkie bits. Why would anybody want to hear what these cretins have to say? And if even the T&A turns out to be non-existent, why bother making it?

One of the worst movies ever made, and all who had a part in it should be ashamed.

Quite possibly, no, make that surely the worst crap ever to be put on film

[p211 · 1/10 · 6 July 2003]

Go to the Zoo instead and watch monkeys for 90 minutes. Much more entertaining, more intelligent interactions, a lot more fun! John Lennon and Yoko Ono once made this short film about a house fly wandering around on naked bodies... an Oscar contender compared to this schmutz. Unbelievable what someone somewhere (guzzling himself into some alcohol-poisoning stupor)thought would make a cool flick. Freedom of expression not withstanding, this should be found unlawful, crimes against humanity or something of that nature, and the maker of this indescribable crap should be forced to watch his own movie until death has mercy on him. I hope that all participants will be recognized and properly laughed at for a long long time just for willingly being caught on film in what must be the darkest hour of their existence so far. If you're about to see this flick, run, don't walk, as fast as you can, away from this manifestation of terminal boredom.

Just like seeing a train wreck, I can't stop watching

[matlock-6 · 1 August 2003]

I happened on this while checking out what was playing on my pay per view, recalled reading something about it and thought "I wouldn't mind seeing some naked breasts". So I ordered it up.

It's hard for me to decide if I really like this or not. Until recent years, I was a big fan of the Real World tv show (especially the second season), and essentially, this is a movie version of the same idea. Of course, the movie has the same problems that the show has had the last two or three (or more) seasons: it looks scripted and the people seem very insincere in their actions. I got the impression that they were "performing" for the camera, rather than the camera catching "reality", which of course defeats the whole purpose.

But in the end, I have to say I enjoyed it. It's incredible, but I actually felt bad for poor Alan and wanted to see him get to hook up with some hot chick. They actually made me care about him. And it was really nice to see people having such a good time.

As a film, unfortunately, it's pretty poor. Billed as a documentary, it nonetheless feels like a scripted movie that simply didn't go anywhere. Several of the people they had there only appear once or twice. It jumps around a lot and isn't entirely cohesive.

I guess what I like about it is that it brings up some good memories of my college years. Mostly it makes me wish it was 5 years ago so I could go live it instead of watch it. Really, in the end, it's not very good at all, and I'm almost embarassed to say it, but I enjoyed it anyway.

Real Bad

[dbborroughs · 1/10 · 7 August 2005]

It was bound to happen, the TV reality craze bled into the film industry, but did it have to be so bad? Shot in ten days then rushed into theaters a few weeks later it was then rushed into video stores where it destroyed countless more minds, this film has to have the fastest turn around time on record. Hey I've actually said something nice about it...amazing.

The premise is that a bunch of hand picked jerks are flown to Mexico for spring break and we get to watch them behave badly. I'm sure it sounded good on paper but the people we are given to watch are such awful people we don't care. Any promised titillation and truly over the top behavior isn't there so this comes across as rather tame considering the promises the film makers made.

I kept watching this wondering why I was watching it since I hated the people and their behavior. Finally after a just over half an hour of this non-event I turned it off. I suggest that you do better than I did and never turn it on.

This movie doesn't know what it wants to be.

[BeDrinkable · 1/10 · 13 October 2008]

At first glance, this looks like a "Girls Gone Wild: the Movie" type of movie. Which would be fine; those videos may be morally bankrupt, but at least they don't misrepresent themselves. This, on the other hand ... ugh.

Firstly, you get more titillation from a "Girls Gone Wild" commercial than you do from this entire film. This film is actually done in the style of a documentary, following several young folks on spring break, wandering around Cancun, trying to get laid and drinking a lot. The problem is that the people are not interesting, and nothing they do matters. However they manage, the filmmakers make Cancun seem boring. So, that combined with the exploitative nature of spring break ... if I could give this negative stars, I would.

Oh, and you can't spoil a movie with no plot. Except maybe to say so-and-so hooked up with what's-her-name. But who cares?

This movie was an unheralded gem, pure cinematic genius.

[Illsmokeyain2secondsflat · 9/10 · 30 May 2003]

The cinema verite style of this artistry overwhelmed me. Not only did the casting director work miracles with his choices (I guarantee you everyone in this movie will be a megastar) but the visualization of spectacular Cancun mexico also presents many opposing viewpoints to the age old axiom: as we grow older, the sunshine in our hearts fades behind the horizon like the majestic cancun skyline. Anyone interest in the latest in a long line of American coming of age classics will delight in adding this gem to their collection.

It's really not THAT bad...

[dominuss-1 · 6/10 · 12 August 2012]

So yeah, it's 9 years after it's release, And the Real Cancun has received so many awful reviews that I felt like I needed to write something in it's favor. I first saw it 8 years ago, and back then I was actually quite taken with the concept, the atmosphere and the depiction of people in Cancun during spring break. Whether it was real or not was not an issue for me, as it showed me a spring break, without the 'Girls Gone Wild' main theme of debauchery and depravity. Sure, those things exist in the movie, but to me it seems that even though the movie was sort of 'unscripted' and 'reality based', the editing was done wonderfully. As I mentioned in the beginning of my review - I first saw it 8 years ago. So now that I'm sadly much older, in age and state of mind as well, I re-watched the movie - as I'm about to go on vacation to Cancun. So yeah, the first charm of the movie did not hold as it did so many years ago when I gave it 8/10, but it still wasn't as bad IMHO as other reviews would depict it and I gave it 6/10. All in all - either you're waaaaayyy too old to watch it, or way too young - The MTV generation would actually enjoy this one.

Soft porn that is available on HBO or Showtime every night

[tarcher-2 · 1/10 · 2 May 2003]

My subject basically states it all. This is nothing more than a situation where the production company took a few hand-held cameras, spent a few thousand bucks, went to Cancun and talked some kids into having sex and exposing their soap opera romances for the camera.

Ho-hum.

Sounds like a ton of porn stuff on the net, doesn't it? That's because net porn is exactly where this idea came from and started. (It's just more graphic on the net).

Now, don't get me wrong. I've got nothing against porn - or people willingly participating in sexual acts in front of a camera. My main dislike about this film is that it's not only available all over the net, but the material this movie's makers want you to pay good money for is also available just about any night on your HBO or Showtime channels.

All in all, a complete waste of time and money.

Glorification of morons.

[stevebiko · 6 June 2003]

This movie reminded me of how bad society is. Do yourself a favor and avoid this film at all costs, unless you like seeing a formulated MTV train wreck. This movie is proof that media conglomerates honestly think were all stupid mindless drones.

Thank god I live in Canada and dont have to "deal" with MTV.

Total Fiasco

[jaim_i · 1/10 · 11 April 2004]

Let me tell you one thing, at first i was excited cause MTV gonna do a movie of THE REAL CANCUN, and for the people that went there,(like me), that was a fiasco. I was excited cause all my friends when i arrive from there, was asking me about CANCUN, when they saw this movie they dont even believe me a word of what i said. This thing was a waste of money, and a waste of time cause isnt that "real" as i was expected tha this movie gonna be. That was like an episode of the real world, and i dont want to saw that, i want to see what i have done there i just want to live again all those moment in cancun, but all i get was guys getting drunk, women figthing for men, and none of reality. A typical episode of the series REAL WORLD.

The End of the World as We Know it

[darko2525 · 1/10 · 30 April 2003]

The very existence of this movie, the very idea that this has a major theater release, has me waving a razor over my wrist. The only people who would like this piece of trash are the same variety of vacuous young people that make The Real WOrld popular and listen to ass-bumping, mindless techno and the shallow end of hip hop and give my generation a bad name. good movies like Donnie Darko and Igby Goes Down are met with limited or no theater exposure, and this trash gets the big time treatment? Thank God, thank a God I don't even believe in, that this thing bombed in its opening weekend. THe success of this thing would be a pandora's box that would kill the film industry the same way its killed TV. Film, like painting, sculpture, music and writing, is an art form. The sad thing is that a huge number of people would just as soon see miles and miles of tits and ass over a real plot, good acting, and a keep directorial eye. screw this movie and everyone involved.

PATHETIC

[lo0obrandono0ol · 1/10 · 28 April 2003]

This movie is sad and pathetic, indeed. Not many positive things to be said about it, that's for sure. if you're going to the theater, see any other movie but this. Surely there is something else out there to peak your interest. Seeing this is a good way to throw $9.00 away...guess I learned the hard way.

this movie sums up what america has come to

[stlcards1 · 2/10 · 12 July 2003]

It's sad to say, but this piece of garbage is what defines my youth and american culture. to everyone else, it seems that sex is the only thing that matters and that only beautiful people get to take part in such party scenes and defined by mtv and their sterotypical shows and this movie. this movie was basicaly a low quality porno.

Should have been called "The Alan Taylor Show"

[daveshubcaps · 5/10 · 2 August 2003]

This type of thing should not (and did not) do well as a theatrical movie. That doesn't mean it isn't entertaining, even if only in spots.

Most of those spots were occupied by this film's unlikely hero and star, Alan Taylor. From the first moment that he tells us that he has never drink, and doesn't plan to, you just knew he was going to get completely hosed at one point. From there, you see him blossom from a shy, kinda dorky kid, into a body-shot loving party animal who is getting much more female attention than the more "studly" men on this trip.

The only other interesting character was David, whose guitar playing and interesting songs were quite hilarious to listen to (particulaly those of us who enjoyed the 80's!). Other than that, it was run of the mill melodramas between gorgeous shots of Cancun, and a little T&A for the kiddies.

It's worth the rental fee.

5/10

Bad, but not that bad.

[misty_77 · 5/10 · 15 February 2004]

The Real Cancun is more of fly-on-the-wall social experiment than a movie. As such many will find it exceptionally boring - particularly those who aren't in their teens or early twenties. It's the sort of movie one can get up and leave for 10 minutes, come back, and not feel as if you've missed much.

It is, however, mildly entertaining. If you're into sex, sex and more sex that is. And very pretty to look at. There are some beautiful shots of Cancun.

One of the central characters - Alan - drove me nuts with his dumb obsession with seeing "boobies". If he's such a clean-cut,non-drinking geeky kinda guy why was he such an insensitive sleaze in this film? The whole "look here's a puny geek who comes of age and is accepted as a cool guy by the end of the movie" thing didn't go down to well if for no other reason than Alan really wasn't that much of a geek to start with!

5/10 - *background* entertainment at best

a new genre of film?

[ronnijean · 4/10 · 26 April 2003]

Before seeing this, I was told by many people that they could not believe that I would go see this movie...I think everyone's mental picture was that of Girls Gone Wild/The Real World...but I found The Real Cancun to be neither. While this was no masterpiece or had no underlying truth or message to convey, I think this film is unique in its ability to make the jump from the reality show craze to the big screen. I enjoyed the fact that I did not feel as though I was watching a two-hour 'reality-show' special. I felt as though I were watching a movie about a group of college students on Spring Break: the drunken craziness, the random hook-ups, and the things you can't quite exactly remember. Every young person has those times in their life where they step out of their typical existence, and experience their chance to be as free as they want, only to the realization that that crazy life is not all that it's cracked up to be. I think this movie is exactly that - a reality film documenting that moment in 16 young people's lives. It is entertainment, and should be viewed as that. It's not Girls Gone Wild and it's not The Real World - it's a new twist on an old genre and if you view it as such, you will come away from this hilarious movie, perhaps not with a new outlook on life, but with the realization that watching these 16 young people makes fools of themselves is far cheaper and more fun than flying to Cancun for Spring Break yourself.

best movie ever

[fellatiator · 10/10 · 12 July 2003]

great movie. never boring at any time except during the credits, and even then i was aroused. only bad thing is that the twins had too small of boobs but none the less great movie ***** out of *****

Only if you like reality shows...

[Spanner-2 · 7/10 · 30 April 2003]

The "brains" behind MTV's "Real World" series here bring you the first "Reality" movie.. sending a bunch of attractive college students to spring break in Cancun and filming them along the way. Basicaly it plays like an "R" rated episode of your typical Reality show... but hey.. if you like those kind of shows, like I do, you'll probably enjoy the film.. if you don't.. then why are you buying a ticket for this anyways? GRADE: C+

Crummy, stupid movie,,,typical.

[warlorde · 1/10 · 28 June 2003]

Wow is this the end of the world as we know it? Who in their right mind would make a 'movie' like this? I tried to watch this 'movie' but gave up after 25 mins. I like to watch bad movies to laugh at, but this isn't even funny. Are we really more civilized? This movie answers the question with a resounding 'NO'. Please don't even cater to 'movies' like this. I regret even trying to watch this crapola.

1 (wish -1 billion) out of 10. Only to be enjoyed by brain dead indudviduals and the Springer crowd. AVOID! BANISH TO HELL!