Though they’re usually seen as a lesser form of comedy, all the best spoof movies find a way to stand out. In some ways, the genre’s reputation is understandable. Building a film specifically around poking fun at successful established genres can come off a little bitter, and imitation is sometimes seen as childish.
Even so, there’s something of a subtle art to making a good spoof movie. With just the right balance of good-natured ribbing and clever writing, a spoof can really come alive. It’s not easy to pull off, but it is possible.
Despite there being a wealth of less-than-stellar spoof movies out there, we’ve compiled a list of the genre’s better examples. We’ve also ranked them by their Rotten Tomatoes score, just to make things as fair as possible. Whether you love to hate or hate to love them, here are the 10 best spoof movies of all time.
10. MacGruber (2010)
Rotten Tomatoes: 47%
MacGruber is probably the closest thing to an unexpected entry on this list, primarily due to its poor critical reception. The general consensus may have been that MacGruber should be considered average at best, but it still stands out as a solid spoof. Based on the Saturday Night Live sketch of the same name, MacGruber is a direct parody of the TV series MacGyver.
Written and starring the inimitable Will Forte, MacGruber is about as over-the-top as you’d expect. The Lonely Island’s Jorma Taccone directs, and Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillippe, Maya Rudolph, and Val Kilmer all feature alongside Forte’s titular detective. Its plot serves as a general parody of modern action movies, with elements of MacGyver spoofed in various jokes throughout.
What makes MacGruber so good is the sheer amount of comedic talent involved. Forte is as outrageously funny as always, with Wiig and Rudolph employing their own comedy chops to ensure the film’s jokes consistently land. Kilmer tops it off by chewing the scenery as the villain, making MacGruber far more funny than it has any right to be.