Trailer For ‘Your Highness’ Bravely Saves Most Of The Laughs For The Theater

By  · Published on November 17th, 2010

Director David Gordon Green has come a long way in three years. 2007 marked his last indie drama before turning completely to the dark side with more popular, humorous, and immature fare like Pineapple Express and HBO’s Eastbound & Down. Next year sees his latest feature, Your Highness, and based on the trailer (seen after the jump) it looks like he plans on sitting in this niche for awhile longer.

Trailer:

Is it just me or are the funniest bits mostly the result of well placed swear words?

James Franco and Danny McBride play brothers, one handsome and heroic and the other one McBride, who are dispatched on a quest when a fair maiden (Zooey Deschanel) is kidnapped by a horny wizard (Justin Theroux). Toss in a thong-wearing warrior woman (Natalie Portman), a minotaur, dragons, naked wood sprites, a weed-smoking hand puppet, and a vessel with the pestle, and this may just be the funniest medieval comedy since Danny Kaye’s The Court Jester. Well, that’s probably a bit of a stretch, but it should definitely be funnier than Kingdom Of Heaven.

The official synopsis is here:

Throughout history, tales of chivalry have burnished the legends of brave, handsome knights who rescue fair damsels, slay dragons and conquer evil. But behind many a hero is a good-for-nothing younger brother trying just to stay out of the way of those dragons, evil and trouble in general. Danny McBride and James Franco team up for an epic comedy adventure set in a fantastical world – Your Highness. As two princes on a daring mission to save their land, they must rescue the heir apparent’s fiancée before their kingdom is destroyed.

Thadeous (McBride) has spent his life watching his perfect older brother Fabious (Franco) embark upon valiant journeys and win the hearts of his people. Tired of being passed over for adventure, adoration and the throne, he’s settled for a life of wizard’s weed, hard booze and easy maidens. But when Fabious’ bride-to-be, Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel), gets kidnapped by the evil wizard Leezar (Justin Theroux), the king gives his deadbeat son an ultimatum: Man up and help rescue her or get cut off. Half-assedly embarking upon his first quest, Thadeous joins Fabious to trek across the perilous outlands and free the princess. Joined by Isabel (Natalie Portman) – an elusive warrior with a dangerous agenda of her own – the brothers must vanquish horrific creatures and traitorous knights before they can reach Belladonna. If Thadeous can find his inner hero, he can help his brother prevent the destruction of his land. Stay a slacker, and not only does he die a coward, he gets front row seats to the dawn of an all-new Dark Ages.”

Your Highness opens April 8th, 2011. (Trailer courtesy of IGN)

Related Topics:

Rob Hunter has been writing for Film School Rejects since before you were born, which is weird seeing as he's so damn young. He's our Chief Film Critic and Associate Editor and lists 'Broadcast News' as his favorite film of all time. Feel free to say hi if you see him on Twitter @FakeRobHunter.