Review: ‘Don’t Mess … Zohan!’

‘Don’t Mess With the Zohan!‘

Adam Sandler and the Happy Madison crew are back and this time they have set their sites on the problems in the Middle East. In “Don’t Mess With the Zohan!” Sandler plays the title character Zohan, an Israeli counter-terrorist agent that is like a cross between James Bond and the Terminator! The Zohan is not all about the fighting … he likes the women and the disco too.

Zohan is dispatched to re-capture his arch foe “The Phantom” (John Turturro) while secretly dreaming of coming to American and become the best hairdresser and work for Paul Mitchell. Zohan fakes his own death, comes to America, changes his appearance by adopting a wham style 80’s hairdo and name to Scrappy Coco. He then begins his quest for a job. Some of the best moments come during Zohans interviews before landing a job in of all places a Palestinian owned salon run by the beautiful Dalia (Emmanuelle Chrique). This is like having Kobe Bryant playing on the Celtics…its not right! Zohan falls for Dalia, and helps her keep her salon from an evil real-estate tycoon (Michael Buffer) with plans to turn “Little Gaza” into the largest indoor mall/amusement park in the country.

It’s not long before Scrappy’s unique style of styling has all types of women lining around the block to get their turn with the Zohan. With his new found popularity it’s not long before he is found out by a sleeper cell headed by {Palestinian named Salime (Rob Schnieder) who summons for the Phantom to take down the Zohan!

Don’t mess with the Zohan is a Who’s Who of Sandler film star cameos from Nick Swardson,Dave Matthews, Kevin James, John McEnroe, Peter Dante, Allen Covert and Kevin Nealon. There is also a shameless plug by Mariah Carey who needs to sell a few albums. There are more laughs than middle eastern stereotypes, needless to say Hummus is the cure-all! So I say grab some chips and your fave 80’s outfit and go to the theater and Mess with the Zohan!

[rating:3.5/5]