Paul Blart: Mall Cop: Who is this movie for?

"Die Hard" invented a whole new genre for action films. The Die Hard on a_______. We had Die Hard on a boat: Under Siege. Die Hard on a bus: Speed. Die Hard on a plane: Passenger 57, Air Force One. Die Hard in a sports arena: Sudden Impact. I think I heard a joke about how the studios were trying to come up with a Die Hard in a hot air balloon. You get the picture.

We never had a Die Hard in a mall......until now. Let me back up that. I remember as a kid at the grocery store Albertsons looking at the front of a VHS tape that said, "Die Hard in a Department Store." Probably some "B" movie. Who wants to see Die Hard in Dillards? I'm sure that would've been much more fun than registering for a wedding though. "Hey baby, maybe Hans Gruber will get us the dishes we like."

We never got our Die Hard in a mall and when it comes out, it's a comedy starring Kevin James.

"Good things come in pairs – Volcano, Dante’s Peak, Deep Impact, Armageddon."
-Ben Stone, Knocked Up

How on earth did we get two security guard movies in the same year? What I like about it is these are two different films about the same concept. The difference is like between "Hoosiers" and "White Men Can't Jump." Same concept. Different style and execution. While Jody Hill's "Observe and Report" was edgy and Taxi Driver crazy, Paul Blart is something else because it doesn't fit a comedy mold.

Let's look at what we have for Hollywood comedy. We have Will Ferrell and his outlandish films. We have the Judd Apatow mafia making comedy raunchy again. We have whatever Woody Allen is doing at the moment, but for the most part, there isn't that much out there.

I think Kevin James is funny. I watched his show "King Of Queens." Is he groundbreaking? No. Is he controversial? No. Is he fun for all audiences including the super conservatives who comprise the ratings board for films? Yes. Kevin James is a safe bet.

How did Paul Blart make $146 million at the box office? That rivals what the real Die Hard action knock offs make?

Is the movie action packed? To answer that, I'll just say the lead villain in it is played by the guy who wanted to play tummy sticks with Vince Vaughn in Wedding Crashers. No.

Is the movie realistic, and I mean using the Die Hard vehicle film curve? The terrorists are on skateboards and do all kinds of back flips and are super fast yet Kevin James is able to get away on a segue? No. Any time he is near anyone, they all want to take him on in a supposed to be hilarious scene in a Foot Locker or something instead of just blasting him with their guns?

Who is this movie for and how did it make this kind of money at the box office? Family dads brought this one home. Family dads who don't get to see real action films anymore. They don't get to see anything R rated because they've got kids. There's no babysitter so anytime him and the Mrs. want to go to a movie, it's gotta be a family film appropriate for everyone. Does the dad get to see "Live Free or Die Hard"? No. Crank 2? No. He has to sit for this and he probably loves it. This beats "Madagascar 2" or "Hannah Montana". This is an untapped market. The dads who don't get to see what they want anymore. I'm sure there is a whole market for Die Hard from Disney. We've seen what this did at the box office so I have no idea studio executives are pitching ideas right now. Saw from Disney. Milk from Disney. The Girlfriend Experience from Disney.

I can't wait to see what happens with this market and in five years when Paul Blart: Mall Cop With A Vengeance with Samuel L. Jackson is released.