My review of Dodgeball was a very cautious recommendation of a movie that never fully embraced its nature. The not-so-subtle apologies by the writer/director for lack of coherence and the general unoriginality of the jokes made Dodgeball less likeable. That film is like midget porn: maybe it’s funny, and maybe you liked it . . . but you’re certainly not proudly confessing either of those truths. But Anchor Man? That’s just some sweet lovin’ whose praises you can sing from the mountaintops.

Basically Anchor Man does exactly what any film should when Will Ferrell is involved, it gives him an endless string of excuses to be as weird as he can. No plot needed, no backstory aside from a two-sentence intro of each character, no apologies. You take the preeminent comic genius of the last 5-10 years and turn him loose, it’s that simple. Throw in a very strong supporting cast (Steve Carell is amazing), and you have a recipe for pure gold.

Despite sitting directly in front of a young lady who was perhaps the single most annoying audience member in my 20-some-odd theater-going years, Anchor Man rates as the most fun experience I’ve had at the movies EVER. Usually a reserved chap, I couldn’t contain out-loud laughs for the majority of the runtime. This is what you’ve been waiting for if you’re a Will Ferrell fan. Elf showed promise, his small characters in other stuff showed how funny he could be in films, and now Anchor Man delivers the goods. I strongly believe this should and will be mentioned in the same breath as Airplane when the lists of great comedies are compiled, A-Mazing. I’m Kevin Worrall, and you people stay classy.