1923's 'The Balloonatic' should have been so much more. Considering that it has such a great title and that it starred one of comedy's funniest and most daring performers in Buster Keaton. Actually like to love a vast majority of Keaton's short films and the best of his feature films (i.e. 'The General') are masterpieces. So that this review is not as enthusiastic as most of my other reviews for Keaton's work is regrettable, nothing malicious about it at all.
'The Balloonatic' is one of Keaton's weakest short films and for me it is lesser Keaton overall as well. It is far from terrible, would call very, very little of his work that, and it does have its charm and good things. There are just funnier, clever and bolder short and feature films that Keaton did, and the execution is quite uneven. 'The Balloonatic' is watchable enough but not essential, and is more a curio or if one wants to see everything that Keaton did.
Am going to start with the good things. It is nicely made, not looking primitive. Keaton is not at his funniest or boldest, but he is amusing, he has a lot of likeability and he still shows that he is one of the masters at deadpan. Phyllis Haver is also appealing and has a spirit about her. She and Keaton have an adorable chemistry together.
Some parts are fun. The stuff with the balloon is creative and Keaton's bear encounter is pure genius. 'The Balloonatic' starts and ends very well.
It's what happens in the middle that's a bit hit and miss. Nothing is unfunny here, but only a few parts are hilarious and there are far more inspired and funnier gags in other Keaton efforts. Wouldn't have said no to more gags perhaps, and those that were there could have connected with each other more tightly and with more cohesion. The story is very slight and could have had more energy, it is basically a series of cobbled together gags that gives the structure a disjointed feel.
Compared to other Keaton efforts, 'The Balloonatic' felt a little bland. It's not just the humour and Keaton's athleticism and mastery of deadpan that plays a huge part in his appeal, it's also the jaw-dropping and ahead of the time stunts. 'The Balloonatic' is somewhat short-changed on this front.
On the whole, watchable but Keaton did so much better before and since. 5/10
'The Balloonatic' is one of Keaton's weakest short films and for me it is lesser Keaton overall as well. It is far from terrible, would call very, very little of his work that, and it does have its charm and good things. There are just funnier, clever and bolder short and feature films that Keaton did, and the execution is quite uneven. 'The Balloonatic' is watchable enough but not essential, and is more a curio or if one wants to see everything that Keaton did.
Am going to start with the good things. It is nicely made, not looking primitive. Keaton is not at his funniest or boldest, but he is amusing, he has a lot of likeability and he still shows that he is one of the masters at deadpan. Phyllis Haver is also appealing and has a spirit about her. She and Keaton have an adorable chemistry together.
Some parts are fun. The stuff with the balloon is creative and Keaton's bear encounter is pure genius. 'The Balloonatic' starts and ends very well.
It's what happens in the middle that's a bit hit and miss. Nothing is unfunny here, but only a few parts are hilarious and there are far more inspired and funnier gags in other Keaton efforts. Wouldn't have said no to more gags perhaps, and those that were there could have connected with each other more tightly and with more cohesion. The story is very slight and could have had more energy, it is basically a series of cobbled together gags that gives the structure a disjointed feel.
Compared to other Keaton efforts, 'The Balloonatic' felt a little bland. It's not just the humour and Keaton's athleticism and mastery of deadpan that plays a huge part in his appeal, it's also the jaw-dropping and ahead of the time stunts. 'The Balloonatic' is somewhat short-changed on this front.
On the whole, watchable but Keaton did so much better before and since. 5/10