The band that was so bad turned out to be great.

Half Japanese, a pseudo-band with unrivaled purity, comes alive like a zombie in the mock documentary, "Half Japanese: The Band That Would Be King."

Think Spinal Tap, but instead of a fake and over-the-hill metal band, Half Japanese is the essence of punk rock — out-of-tune guitars, lousy musical skill and all passion.

The film clearly outlines what is good about music from the early '90s, or for any time period, really: absolute freedom of expression and everything that is wrong with music: MTV. Yes, way back in 1993, this mock documentary was already hip to the idea that MTV is in cahoots with the devil.

Jad and David Fair are brothers and the brains behind the band both worshiped by the underground and totally misunderstood in mainstream culture. The two play themselves in the film and have very little concern for the normal constraints of musicianship.

"You do need cords in order to plug the guitar in, but that's pretty much it," Jad Fair says toward the beginning of the film, punning on the idea the members of Half Japanese don't know how to play chords on the guitar.

The group does become increasingly handy and structured with songs as the film progresses, but that's not the point. Half Japanese is a band having fun and doing what it wants, rather than worrying about appearances or learning slick dance moves that look good on television.

The smirking grin and pure joy on Jad's face every time he sings in his out-of-key, fervent tone could put a smile on a teddy bear's face. These days, it's almost unheard of and unimaginable to witness popular music performers looking like they're having a good time, while totally letting go of any stage fright to create a sense of outright artistic freedom, but Jad pulls it off every time he performs.

In the context of the film, music critics and underground folk sort of poke fun at Half Japanese, saying that they're really into the band. But really, the film would have been a notch better if, rather than trying to create laughs, the folks being interviewed spoke from the heart.

The people that come across as legitimate and honest are Jad, David and Maureen "Moe" Tucker (ex-drummer for The Velvet Underground). Everyone else in the film, including Penn Jillette (Penn & Teller), utilizes a joking tone that works at times, but would be better with a greater sense of purity.

The greatest strength is the inspirational mood throughout the film. The main message is if you really want to do something creative and different with your life, then do it with a sense of joyous freedom.

Any young musician viewing the film will either have the reaction of: "Wow, I could be better than these guys, so maybe I should start a band," or, "Wow, I would love to be in a band just like Half Japanese."