When is a Mighty Boosh movie not a Mighty Boosh movie? Sadly, the answer is Bunny and the Bull. Boosh fans may recognise and love the film’s lo-fi absurdity but they will surely be less appreciative to learn that their heroes are barely onscreen during the strained 101 minute duration. Instead, Howard Moon has now morphed into Bunny, Simon Farnaby’s incorrigible skirt-chaser, while a Vince Moon shaped hole is occupied by broken hearted agoraphobic Stephen (Edward Hogg). The entire film unfolds as flashback from Stephen’s flat and self-imposed prison: a surreal road trip across Europe twelve months previously has prompted his retreat from the world. In between visits to The German Museum of Cutlery and the National Shoe Museum of Poland (Richard Ayoade is your monotonic guide), Bunny and Stephen happen on pouting Spanish waitress Eloisa (Verónica Echegui), and a bizarre love triangle soon blossoms.
This commendably odd exercise plays out in doodles and animations. At best, it’s Michel Gondry channelling Oliver Postgate; at worst, it’s claustrophobic and hard to look at. The script is equally erratic and frankly, just not funny enough. Modwolves will be well enough pleased that director Paul King has stayed faithful to the Boosh’s discombobulating spirit, but it’s hard to picture Bunny and the Bull winning new recruits from the civilian community.