If I could take back two reviews posted on Critexts since its inception, they would be AVATAR (too positive) and THE HANGOVER (way too negative). For some reason, I was blind to Zach Galafianakis’ talent until DUE DATE, after which I’ve become a huge fan. So when I describe THE CAMPAIGN as both a misfire and a disappointment, with laughs, I credit Zach with most of those laughs. His slightly fey, southern accent-inflected blend of sweet and steely is a thing in itself, un-dependent on plot or situation, neither of which amounts to much in this weak political satire. Will Ferrell is a difficult actor to eclipse, but you get the feeling he’s treading water; a little Ron Burgundy here, a little Ricky Bobby there. But Zach sashays through the material with abandon: watch him walk his dog, or try to open a door, or attempt to stay calm in the face of his kids’ confessions. This B-comedy would have earned a passing grade were it not for a god-awful lurch into sentimentalism at the end, a wrap-up as unmerited as it is unsatisfying. — Jeff Schultz