Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
The US army is known for churning out lean mean fighting machines intent on protecting our great nation. Sergeant Ernie Bilko is the leader of a ragtag group of the sorriest soldiers ever to enlist in the armed forces.
Sgt. Bilko is a mild, inoffensive comedy adaptation of the classic TV series that never quite justifies its existence. The plot is formulaic — a series of cons and schemes with a predictable nemesis rivalry — offering little beyond what the original show did decades earlier. Steve Martin brings his comedic energy and earns the film its modest watchability, but the supporting cast is underused and the material doesn't stretch anyone. Cinematography is flat and televisual, befitting a mid-90s studio comedy with no particular visual ambition. Novelty is low: it's a straight TV-to-film adaptation that recycles the premise without adding a fresh angle or distinctive voice. The ending resolves predictably with Bilko triumphant in a manner telegraphed from the opening minutes, leaving no lasting impression.