The Kid Ego "Major League" review

Charlie Sheen stars as Rick 'Wild Thing' Vaughn in "Major League"

      Ok. First and foremost, it needs to be said that this was one of my very favorite films as a kid. I was 9 when this film came out and I loved everything about it. I still appreciate it, but for some very different reasons.


     The film plays like a grown-up version of "The Bad News Bears" in many ways. But it dawns on me that as formulaic as this film is, it is a film that cannot be made today. These days baseball is DROWNING in stats. Many teams have special employees on their payroll to keep track of stat, even very specific ones known as Sabermetrics. Too bad the owners of the Indians in this movie knew little about it, since the team appears to be set up well in the regard. Power in the middle of the order from Cerrano, speed at the top from Hayes, a contact hitting catcher moving him over and into scoring position, unless he is there already as a result of having stolen bases. Even the two starting pitchers the movie focuses on appear to limit walks, and in Vaughn's case, hold strikeouts at a premium.

       What may be most significant about this film is the cultural impact. Today, closers routinely enter the game to intimidating theme music, much the way Sheen's character does. Certain catchphrases like Uecker's "Juuuuuust a bit outside" are part of every baseball nut's vocabulary, and well, everyone continues to hate the Yankees.

      "Major League" also succeeds in doing something that only "Bull Durham" has also done. It is an R-rated baseball comedy. The sequels to this film are more silly than raunchy and were disappointments. They were likely toned down in hopes that a lower rating would increase box office. Instead it took the teeth out of a franchise intended to be for adults. The makers of "The Hangover" realize this and will avoid such a trap.

     Overall, the film still hold up ok, as nothing horribly dates the film, and could play as if it were a period piece rather than a piece made during a certain period. 7.5 outof 10 for the film. 10 out of 10 for the baseball purists out there.