Another pie in the mix

It is very rare that a movie franchise can produce any more than two or three successful films that continue to titillate the comedic palate of the typical cinema consumer. Releasing six, as George Lucas did with “Star Wars,” pushed the limit, testing the patience and dedication of any space opera junkie. But making seven movies is beyond the pale.
This is exactly what Mike Elliot and Universal Studies have done with the newest teen comedy “American Pie Presents: The Book of Love.” Directed by John Putch, this continuation of the series introduces us to Rob (Bug Hall, of “Little Rascals” fame), who along with his friends Nathan (Kevin Horton) and Lube (Brandon Hardesty) attempt to lose their virginity with the aid of “The Bible,” a home-made sex manual and high school urban legend, which continues to grow with each passing year and graduating senior class.
When Rob destroys the original “Book of Love” in a library fire mishap, he joins forces with Noah Levenstein (Eugene Levy), the ever-awkward father figure who is a recurring character in all the “American Pie” movies, to print a new and improved edition. A wild romp ensues, coupled with plenty of cheap laughs and silly sexual innuendo, not to mention a prodigious amount of cheerleader cleavage.
The highest praise I can possibly muster for this failure of a movie is that it has a remarkable cast of celebrity cameo scenes. From Sherman Hemsley to Kevin Federline, and Christopher Knight to Dustin Diamond, “American Pie Presents: The Book of Love” delivers when it comes to familar faces in funny situations. The only problem is that beyond that initial giggle of a cameo appearance, one’s mind returns to being utterly dumbfounded as to how overstretched the “American Pie” franchise has become.
This movie suffers from an insufferably plotless story, with characters that are sad reflections of their analogous counterparts in the original “American Pie.” The dialogue is similarly poor, though there are a number of amusing scenes involving internet technology and viral sex videos. Most of the comedy, however, left me confused and dazed. How am I supposed to laugh when a man is anally raped by a raging moose?
I suppose that if one is drinking, indeed heavily drinking, with friends and looking for a cheap laugh, than the “Book of Love” is a fine choice to spend 96 minutes. Otherwise, we should appreciate it for what it is: another low-budget, straight-to-DVD neo-sexploitation flick.