"Norbit" is not a movie to bring any kids to, even teenagers. Rated "PG-13" for crude and sexual humor, some nudity and language, it is also loaded with domestic and bodily violence. So much for comedy.

"Norbit" may be Eddie Murphy’s worst effort in years. The comedy adventure produced and partially written by Murphy, features him playing the three lead roles in this one hour and 45 minute disaster.

"Norbit" comes just weeks before the Academy Awards and Murphy’s nomination for Best Supporting Actor as James "Thunder" Early in "Dreamgirls." "Norbit" makes you wonder if this is really the same actor.

"Norbit" is not a movie to bring any kids to, even teenagers. Rated "PG-13" for crude and sexual humor, some nudity and language, it is also loaded with domestic and bodily violence. So much for comedy.

The entire story takes place in rural Boiling Springs, Tennessee. Norbit is dropped off unannounced as a days’ old child at the Golden Wonton Restaurant and Orphanage just outside town. There the owner Mr. Wong (Murphy) raises him.

Growing up he is repeatedly picked on by the other kids in town. Then one day while being beaten it suddenly stops. Looking up he sees a stocky girl who not only ends the nerd-looking Norbit's agony, but declares him her boyfriend. He is nine, she just ten years old.

Meet Rasputia (Played as an adult by Murphy) Latimore, whose family basically runs the town. Upon becoming adults, Norbit and Rasputia marry. He thin as a rail and she over 300 pounds.

From day one, Rasputia treats him as her servant. Norbit working in the family construction business has no time for himself. One day coming home early he discovers Rasputia having an affair with her personal trainer Blister (Marion Wayans "Little Man").

From that moment on he tries to leave her but with almost fatal results.

Her three nasty and super-sized brothers Earl (Clifton Powell "The Gospel"), Big Jack (Terry Crews "Click") and Blue (Lester Speight) who run Latimore Construction as a front for their illicit activities warn him he can never leave Rasputia or the family.

All this is quickly forgotten when Norbit discovers that his first childhood love at the orphanage Kate (Thandie Newton "Crash"), has returned having heard Mr. Wong may be selling the Golden Wonton.

Unknown to Norbit, she has brought her fiance Delon (Cuba Gooding Jr. "Radio"), with her. Does this mean he will never be able to leave Rasputia?

Does Delon really want to be with Kate? Will Mr. Wong sell the Golden Wonton and if so, to whom?

You can get the answers with a little patience. Just wait for the DVD, but promise to keep the kids away. Don’t get me wrong, I like Eddie Murphy both as a comic and serious actor. "Norbit" is just terrible and easily will be one of the worst comedies of the year.

That is why it receives a split rating. For Eddie Murphy fans, "2-J’s/Wait for DVD," for everyone else, "1-J/Save Your Money!"

"The Messengers" fails to deliver!

"The Messengers" is a horror thriller that delivers more questions than answers. It could have really been so much better with just a little fine-tuning and that is its problem.

Meet the Solomon family, mom Denise (Penelope Ann Miller "Along Came a Spider"), dad Roy (Dylan McDennott "Runaway Jury"), 16-year old daughter Jess (Kristen Stewart "Panic Room") and 3-year old Ben (played jointly by twins Evan and Theodore Turner).

The former Chicagoland natives have abandoned their fast-paced city living for the wilderness of the North Dakota plains.

We are told that Jess was involved in a serious auto accident in which Ben has stopped talking and that they lost nearly all their finances to medical bills.

We still are not told how Roy chose to start their lives--over some 700 miles away and in a town with only as many people, sight unseen.

Roy has purchased with most of their remaining funds a rural farm that has lain vacant for years. No one seems to know what happened to its previous owners. They are told the former owners simply left one day abandoning the property. That is why it is so cheap.

In need of lots of work inside and out, this is not what Jess had imaged.

With 14-hour days, the Solomon family slowly turns the property livable. One day while planting the sunflower crop, a man appears almost out of nowhere.

Offering to work simply for room and board, Roy hires the muscular but weathered looking Mr. Burwell (John Corbett "Raising Helen"), asking few questions. Could this be a disaster?

Within the house strange things seem to be happening. While we can see it all, only Ben can seem to see it with us. Outside the sunflowers appear headed for a record crop. Just what does the supernatural happenings have in all of this?

Don’t bother to ask, it really isn’t worth it or your money. "The Messengers" real stars are a dozen giant-trained crows brought in from the Czech Republic. With digital enhancement, they become hundreds and put up the biggest scares and action in the film.

Directed by Thai brothers Danny and Oxide Pang ("The Eye") based in Hong Kong, this is their first English language effort. They needed the backing of five production companies to get it done and that pretty much says it all.

"The Messengers" has a running time of just 86 minutes and is rated "PG-13" for mature thematic material, disturbing violence and terror. It fails to deliver its message and therefore receives my second lowest rating of "1-J/Save your money!"