'Paul' a pleasant but inconsistent entity

It's the stoner humor of Seth Rogen versus the dry British wit of Simon Pegg in "Paul," a science-fiction comedy that lacks the cohesiveness of better movies from both comedians.

Co-writers Pegg and Nick Frost star as two lovable nerds who come to America to experience the San Diego Comic Con and to visit the Southwest's most notorious UFO hot spots. On the road in a rented RV, the pair encounter Paul (voiced by Rogen), a friendly, foul-mouthed alien on the run from a variety of government agents. The nerds protect their new alien friend and help him reach a famous "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" landmark.

With two-thirds of the genius formula for "Hot Fuzz" and "Shaun of the Dead" present (Pegg and Frost), you would think "Paul" was destined to do for science-fiction movies what "Hot Fuzz" did for the cop genre and "Shaun" did for the zombie movie.

But instead of a biting, lightning-sharp satire of Hollywood conventions, "Paul" is more of a leisurely homage to Steven Spielberg and his sci-fi classics, like "Close Encounters" and "E.T." Oh, and a few f-bombs and drug-related humor mixed in for good measure.

The missing link to the formula is writer/director Edgar Wright, who opted out of "Paul" in favor of last year's underrated "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World." That's not to say "Paul" is the fault of director Greg Mottola ("Superbad"). Co-writers Pegg and Frost simply don't give themselves enough comedic material. The guys play it straight against Rogen's rude little extra terrestrial and give the funniest bits to the supporting cast, which includes Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig and scene-stealer Bill Hader.

After a string of irritating performances, Rogen's distinctive voice fits the character of Paul well, and the computer effects seamlessly integrate the alien into the action. Still, the character isn't fleshed out well enough. The nerds accept him into the group without much opposition, leaving only hints of a more intriguing backstory.

"Paul" isn't a bad movie by any means. The references to sci-fi classics are clever enough to sustain interest, and the entire cast contributes to an overall pleasant tone. Still, with "Hot Fuzz" and "Shaun of the Dead" to live up to, "Paul" just can't deliver enough laughs. If anything, Pegg and Frost's dry antics are overwhelmed by Rogen and Mottola's mainstream American raunch.

Grade: B-

Ticket Stubs is sponsored by the Hayden Cinema 6 Theater. Showtimes at www.HaydenCinema6.com. Tyler Wilson can be reached at twilson@cdapress.com.