The American Pie series continues onward (and downward) without any of the original characters (except Eugene Levy who loves a good paycheck) or theatrical clout. Beta House furthers the adventures of Erik and Dwight Stifler, who have some relation to the original Stifler (played by Seann William Scott) in the original films. If you’ve seen the previous straight-to-DVD entry, The Naked Mile (2006), you’ve met these guys before. If you haven’t, don’t worry, it’s not like you’re missing a great deal of emotional depth or anything.
There is a little message right before the film, informing the viewers that this version contains scenes not included in the original version. Makes you feel kind of special for a minute, until you realize Beta House hasn’t even been seen outside of a DVD player, nor will it. So who cares which version you’re watching?
Erik has finally graduated from high school and his on his way to college to join his cousin Dwight at the “coolest” fraternity house on campus. The stereotypes of Greek life prevail onward as girls do nothing but drink, show their breasts, and have sex with anyone who took a shower that day. It’s the kind of place a high school kid would love to spend his days. The Beta House has a problem though, a rival The Geek House, full of geeky rich smart kids, challenges them to something called “The Greek Games,” which have been banned from campus for decades.
Once the games begin, it’s pretty apparent why no university would want this on their campus. The challenges range from each house having to drink an entire keg of beer to playing Russian Roulette with a semen-filled bullet. I can’t tell you if the other events are better or worse than that.
Though the film lacks any real substance, the DVD has a slew of extras. The humorless outtakes show us there wasn’t anything hilarious going on behind-the-scenes either. For the holiday season, Universal was gracious enough to supply 4 different “Yule Log” Holiday scenes with nothing but the simple sounds of holiday cheer paired up with some breasts.
American Pie Presents: Beta House will rock the world of idiotic high school and college students everywhere. It’s tiresome, unfunny and more annoying than a drunken college freshman. Leave this one on the shelf and rent Animal House or Old School instead.
