Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Carlyle, Emily Mortimer, and Meat Loaf

Directed by Ronny Yu

Written by Stel Pavlou

Distributed by Screen Gems

Running Time: 92 mins.

Rated R

Samuel L. Jackson (“XXX”) and Robert Carlyle (“The Beach”) star in the new action-comedy/gross-out, “Formula 51.” This movie won’t blow your mind, but it might make you laugh and will definitely make your stomach churn.

It all begins in 1971, with Jackson as Elmo McElroy sporting an Afro and bell-bottoms, happily swerving around the road while attempting to light a joint. A recent graduate with a degree in Pharmacology, his chances for a successful career are ruined when he’s pulled over by a heartless cop who books him for drug possession.

Jump to thirty years later and McElroy is an underground master chemist in Los Angeles who has just developed a dream drug (P.O.S. 51) which looks dangerously like Skittles. He claims the drug is 51 times stronger than any drug in the world and is made from completely legal substances that can be shipped in large quantities without making the authorities bat an eyelash.

McElroy ditches his boss, “The Lizard” (rocker Meat Loaf), a man with a strange wardrobe and scarred face, in order to make a fortune selling the drug on his own. He travels to Liverpool, England to sell P.O.S. 51 to an equally gruesome drug dealer whose main purpose is to get a laugh with his squeaky hemorrhoid donut.

Needless to say “The Lizard” is not happy about losing the wonder drug, so he commissions a manhunt of a kilt-clad McElroy. Felix Desouza (Carlyle) ends up as Jackson’s unwitting partner who just wants tickets to a soccer game, and his ex-girlfriend (Emily Mortimer of “Lovely and Amazing”) is the hit-person sent by “The Lizard” to follow them.

A cross between Quentin Tarantino and Guy Ritchie films, “Formula 51” doesn’t have much to offer in the originality department. Last week on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” Jackson said that Stel Pavlou, a college student who was working at a liquor store came up with the idea for “Formula 51.” Somehow this is not surprising. The story line is unremarkable with an exceptionally corny ending. A few funny lines and situational comedy throughout make for its few redeeming qualities.

Ronny Yu directs the film, and with past hits like “Bride of Chucky” and future releases like “Freddy vs. Jason” (a.k.a. “Friday the 13th Part 11”), I suppose one couldn’t have hoped for much more from this movie than gore and laughs.

Possibly the most disappointing thing about the film is the fact that the talented Jackson, the alleged star of the film, is left with a sorely undeveloped character. He’s written to dazzle us in the laboratory, waltz around with a kilt everyone wants to look up and knock out bad guys with his golf clubs.

The movie, which is often silly with one too many explosions (literally) of blood and poop still manages to be fun. The aim is obviously towards young people who enjoy a fast-paced 90 minutes of comedy and violence. If that’s what you’re into, go for it, but finish up the popcorn and Hot Tamales before the opening credits.