Little Nicky (2000) is a comedy film written, produced by and starring Adam Sandler.
Cast
Cameos
Dedicated to Chris Farley, who died December 18, 1997.
Synopsis
In Hell, it is the 10,000 year as the current Satan's rule of Hell. He brings his 3 sons-Adrian, Cassius, and Nicky-to decide who will succeed him as "Prince of Darkness." Adrian and Cassius constantly torment Nicky for being their father's personal favorite, even going as far as taking control of his mind and hitting him in the face with a shovel (resulting in a slacked jaw and a speech impediment). The Devil decides to rule another 10,000 years himself because there is more to being Satan than torturing Sinful Souls as much as keeping the balance between good and evil, saying that none of the sons are ready to take on that responsibility. This greatly angers Adrian and Cassius, so they decide to go to Earth and create a "New Hell" there, corrupting as many souls as possible so that when they kill the souls they will have an army of Damned Souls. They escape Hell and freeze the entrance, the Fire Gate, on the way out. When no new souls can get in, Satan begins to decompose. Satan sends Nicky to Earth with a Silver Flask that traps the drinker inside it forever. The only way to un-freeze the gate is to get Adrian and Cassius to return through the Fire Gate inside the Flask.
Nicky goes to Earth and appears in the subway at Grand Central Station and meets "Mr. Beefy", a talking bulldog that is "an old friend" of Satan. He says that Adrian and Cassius can possess mortals so they will be hard to find. Nicky manages to get an apartment with Todd, a failed actor. Meanwhile, Adrian (possessing a powerful Deacon) and Cassius (possessing the Mayor of New York City) corrupt an entire mass, thus taking the first steps towards New Hell. Cassius makes the mayor even change the New York Slogan to "I Love Hookers" and the legal drinking age to 10.
Nicky spends the beginning of the next day ordering random people (thinking they're possessed) to "Get in the Flask" but all fails. Nicky also meets Valerie, a design student whom he falls for. Seeing that Nicky has been sent to catch him, Adrian invades Nicky's mind and makes him scare Valerie away. Adrian kills Nicky, sending him back to Hell (this happens several times throughout the movie) and he only respawns back in Grand Central Station.
While watching a Globetrotters game with Todd, Nicky sees that Cassius has possessed a referee, and is making several bad calls against the favorite Globetrotters, trying to make the audience riot. Nicky gets to the court and challenges Cassius to a one-on-one game during half time. Using his newly found "Evil" (powers he was born with as the son of the devil) to win the game and tricks Cassius into the Flask. John and Peter, two headbanging Satanists, see the "Devil Showdown" and devote themselves to Nicky.
Back at Nicky's apartment, Nicky tells John, Peter, and Todd about his heritage and his point on Earth. Nicky, Todd, John, Peter, and Mr. Beefy get high off of cake with Marijuana in the mix and after hearing "Mama, I'm Coming Home" Nicky realizes he is in love with Valerie and passes up an Ozzy Osbourne concert to go see her. He only ends up getting Pepper Sprayed by a still angry Valerie and Nicky falls off her building. Valerie's concern for Nicky stops his descent inches from the ground and he floats back up. He explains to Valerie who he really is and why he is on Earth and at the risk of him falling again, she believes him. Nicky gives Valerie the power to fly and they do so around the city.
The next day Adrian, possessing the Chief of the New York Police Department, puts a false bounty of 50 Million Dollars on Nicky's head for mass murder. Nicky and his friends devise a plan to take down Adrian, involving John and Peter to go to Adrian and give Nicky's location. After Adrian takes an army of cops to Grand Central Station to take out Nicky, the latter (possessing John) attempts to trick Adrian into drinking the Flask. This fails, and Nicky confronts Adrian himself. Adrian holds Valerie (hiding behind a pillar in the subway) hostage, but an arrow shot from Mr. Beefy's penis knocks them both into the tracks-in the path of a train. Nicky jumps onto a tracks and throws Valerie out of the way, but Adrian grabs his brother and both are hit by the train.
In Hell, Adrian interrogates his father-reduced to his arms, hands, and lips-about where Nicky is, who wakes up in Heaven and meets his real mother, a beautiful angel named Holly. She reveals that Nicky was conceived from a one night stand at a "Heaven/Hell Mixer" after both were intoxicated. Meanwhile, Adrian finds out that if what's left of Satan is thrown from his throne, any son may claim the seat of power. Adrian does so and sprouts horns. He rises his throne into Central Park along with several other parts of Hell where a party/riot begins. Adrian reveals to the party goers that they will all go to Hell when he kills them after the past Satan's complete dematerialization.
Nicky witnesses all this and returns to Earth after Holly tells him as half Angel he can use the "Inner Light", similar to Evil but can be used for good, and a mysterious white orb that is only to be used when Nicky is in grave danger. Nicky arrives at Central Park and commandeers a platoon of Adrian's Demons with the Inner Light. Nicky confronts Adrian with the demons, but they are scared away by Adrian's powers. Nicky and Adrian engage in hand-to-hand combat until both brothers end up in the Flask where an off-screen battle between the 3 brothers ensues. Nicky emerges as the victor, but an overly passionate kiss with Valerie reveals it is only Adrian in disguise. Adrian turns into a large bat and flies around the crowd, stalling time until his father's death at midnight. Valerie convinces Nicky to summon the strength to get out, which he does, and confronts Adrian one last time. Nicky shatters the White Orb in front of Adrian and Ozzy Osbourne magically appears. Ozzy proceeds to bite Adrian the Bat's head off and spits it into the flask.
Nicky realizes that the only way to save his father is to kill himself, but then realizes he will only go to heaven. He covers Henry Winkler in bees as a sin and Valerie kills him but not after Nicky and she express their love for each other. Nicky returns to Hell just in time to save his father. After Nicky tells Satan of the happiness on Earth, he decides to stay there with Valerie. Satan's father Lucifer then opens the flask for Adrian and Cassius, but sends them up Adolf Hitler's anus as a punishment for all 3.
Just before the credits, it is explained what happens to all the protagonists:
- Nicky and Valerie have a baby, Zachariah, who was suspended from Nursery School for transforming another student's milk into Moose urine with his 1 quarter evil. Valerie also accidentally hits Nicky in the face with a shovel while gardening, fixing his face.
- Mr. Beefy runs into his old girlfriend after being thrown from a strip joint for excessive drinking and marries her despite her species (a sewer rat). They have 5 hybrid children.
- Stanely the Gatekeeper and Gary the Monster (2 residents of Hell) also have a hybrid litter of their own.
- Todd puts on a 1 man show on Broadway but Nipples the Cross Dresser was the "One man" that went to see it.
- The Devil and Holly try dating for a while but break up due to long-distance relationship issues. The Devil begins seeing both the Blair Witch and Cher. Holly falls for her aerobics instructor, Chris Farley.
- John and Pete use their 25 Million Dollar bounty for turning Nicky in on Led Zepellin's old touring plane, which crashes soon after takeoff due to lack of a pilot. They go to Hell and spend eternity listening to Nicky's old Heavy Metal collection.
Script and Cast Development
The concept for the Nicky character has roots in Gil Graham, whom Sandler portrayed on Weekend Update during his time on Saturday Night Live. Similarities include his speech pattern, hairstyle, and affinity for heavy metal music.
"Little Nicky" was a character in David Lynch's TV show "Twin Peaks". In the show "Little Nicky", a young orphan boy, was thought to be the son of Satan. This is most likely the basis for Sandler's concept.
Angus Young of AC/DC was originally cast as Satan, but backed out prior to shooting, and was replaced by Harvey Keitel. Marilyn Manson also left the cast, due to schedule issues.[1]
Response
Critical reaction to the film was fairly poor. Comedian and former Mystery Science Theater 3000 host Michael J. Nelson named the film the worst comedy ever made.[2] Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 22% approval rating. It was also nominated for five awards at the 21st Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Picture and Worst Actor (Adam Sandler).
Soundtrack
- P.O.D. - School of Hard Knocks
- Incubus - Pardon Me
- Deftones - Change (In the House of Flies)
- Cypress Hill - (Rock) Superstar
- Insolence - Natural High
- Linkin Park - Points of Authority
- Disturbed - Stupify (Fu's Forbidden Little Nicky Remix)
- Unloco - Nothing
- Powerman 5000 - When Worlds Collide
- Muse - Cave
- Filter - Take a Picture
- Deftones - Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) (Acoustic)
other song appearances
- Scorpions - Rock You Like a Hurricane
- AC/DC - Highway to Hell
- Foo Fighters - Everlong
- Van Halen - Runnin' With the Devil
- Zebrahead - Now or Never
- Lit - perfect One
- Ozzy Osbourne - Mama, I'm Coming Home
- Chicago - Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
Video game
A Game Boy Color game was released based on this film shortly after its release. IGN gave it a rating of 8.0/10.[3]
References
External links
