Zohan (Unrated + BD Live) [Blu-ray]

Adam Sandler, the renowned comedy superstar, is back and funnier than ever as The Zohan, the Israeli army's finest counterterrorist agent. However, he fakes his own death and travels to Manhattan, determined to pursue his dream of becoming a hairdresser. This skilled fighting machine, who once clipped bad guys, is now out to prove that he can excel as a top stylist.

The story takes an unexpected turn when The Zohan's cover is blown after he is recognized by a Palestinian cab driver, played by Rob Schneider. Now, The Zohan must fight to maintain his newfound peaceful life in New York City, in this razor-sharp, action-packed comedy directed by Adam Sandler, Robert Smigel, Judd Apatow, and Dennis Dugan.

If You Don't Mess with the Zohan feels like an extended and crazed sketch from the beloved Saturday Night Live (SNL) television show, and there are good reasons for that. Sandler, the film's star, is a former SNL cast member, and he is joined by several of his fellow cast members in uncredited cameo roles. Additionally, Sandler co-wrote the film's absurdist script with Robert Smigel, another veteran SNL writer and occasional performer.

Echoes of their classic SNL skits, featuring high-strung Israeli characters obsessed with disco and selling junk electronics out of a New York shop, are revisited in Zohan and are a delightful treat for fans. The film is a whirlwind of unbridled nonsense, but it maintains a sunny disposition that proves surprisingly persuasive.

Sandler shines as an Israeli intelligence operative who fakes his own death to reinvent himself in New York City as a hairdresser. Defying the assumption that any man in that profession must be gay, Zohan routinely provides raucous sexual favors for his older female customers. The sight of salon shelves collapsing as the indefatigable Zohan pleasures randy grannies is pure SNL, and it's funnier than it might initially seem.

The film's silly storyline involves an old, Palestinian enemy of Zohan, the Phantom (played by John Turturro), showing up in Manhattan, but the ultimate resolution is a Big Apple version of the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts that we all hope to see on a larger scale.

While the film may be almost instantly forgettable and sometimes veers towards the dumb, it still manages to sell itself well as a delightfully nutty concept. Fans of Adam Sandler, SNL, and irreverent comedies are sure to find plenty to enjoy in You Don't Mess with the Zohan.

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