Slam Dunk Ernest is the seventh Ernest P. Worrell film. In this one, Ernest is part of a custodian team called the Clean Sweeps. The rest of them play on a local basketball team, and Ernest wants to play on the team, but they won't let him due to his clumsiness. When Ernest saves them from getting fired, they reluctantly let him be part of the team. The Archangel of Basketball (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) shows up to give Ernest a magical pair of shoes that make him a much better basketball player.
Includes examples of
- Anti-Role Model: Despite Barry's insistence that hard work is more important than shortcuts, Quincy sees how Ernest became a basketball all-star with all sorts of perks simply because he got a pair of special shoes. It makes Quincy want to steal a pair of the same shoes for himself, as well as dismiss his father as a never was. Ernest is horrified to find what impact he's had on this kid, so he resolves to fix things. This all turns out to be exactly what the Archangel of Basketball was expecting the entire time.
- Armor-Piercing Response:
- In the locker room, Ernest is already taken aback by the rest of the team calling out his arrogant behavior on the court, but it's what Quincy says about him being great that really rattles him.Ernest: But what about your dad?
Quincy: Ah, he's nothing and never will be, but you're a star. When I grow up, I wanna be just like you. - Ernest throws away the shoes in full view of Quincy, who cannot believe he just did that. A certain someone puts it all in perspective for Quincy and causes the kid to take stock of his own actions.Quincy: What is he doing? Ernest is givin' up his shoes?
The Archangel: Well... [looks down at the shoes Quincy stole] I guess he thought it was the right thing to do.
- In the locker room, Ernest is already taken aback by the rest of the team calling out his arrogant behavior on the court, but it's what Quincy says about him being great that really rattles him.
- Artistic License – Sports: In basketball, it is against regulations to wear headgear, but Ernest wears his hat in the game (at one point it's made clear that he can not take off his hat), while another player wears a bandana while playing. Might be justified in that this is a city league as opposed to the national league.
- Beauty Is Bad: Erma was a lot nicer when she looked more like a stereotypical nerd. When she gets the chance to look more glamorous, she tempts Ernest into doing whatever Moloch wants. After his Heel Realization, Ernest doesn't want anything to do with her.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: At first, Erma seems like a nice girl, but after getting a winning lottery ticket, her looks are transformed and she becomes a more tempting and gold digging snob.
- The Chessmaster: At the end of the movie, the Archangel of Basketball is accused of cheating to win out. He retorts that it was all like a chess game, where one side was three moves ahead the entire time. To explain, he knew Moloch wanted to corrupt Quincy, so he offered Ernest the shoes to make him an all-star player. The Archangel correctly anticipated that Quincy would be impressed by Ernest's easy success and want to follow suit, that Moloch would try to manipulate Ernest for his own purposes, and that Ernest would have the Heel Realization that completely derails Moloch's plot.
- Creator Cameo: John Cherry, director of most of the Ernest films, has a cameo as a member of the audience who asks for a hot dog. This is his first of three on-screen roles in the Ernest films.
- Deal with the Devil: Implied. The ending strongly implies Moloch is a demon of some kind. He fails to corrupt Quincy like he had planned, but Erma went along with manipulating Ernest in exchange for being promised a winning lottery ticket. In the penultimate scene, Moloch gives her the ticket, adding it's very expensive.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Discussed. When Ernest first meets The Archangel of Basketball and hears who he is, Ernest thinks he's there to take him to the afterlife over the one technical fowl he caused.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: The owner of the shoe store tempts a number of people much like the devil would, and at times he is surrounded by red lighting. After Quincy returns the shoes he stole, he talks with The Archangel, implying that he is indeed Satan, if not a devil.
- Down to the Last Play: Happens in both games where Ernest does not use his shoes. During the first game, Ernest's clumsiness leads to a technical fowl when his team is one ahead with just ten seconds left, leading to the other team getting two free throws (which the team makes). For the final game, after Ernest throws away his shoes, he's put into the game for the final shot, this time they are one point behind. This time Ernest makes the shot.
- Friend to All Children: The part thing stings Ernest the most about his behavior during the championship is finding out he's been setting a terrible example for Quincy. He resolves to do better so that the kid gets back on the right path.
- Heel Realization: During halftime in the final game, Ernest finds that the other players resent Ernest for doing all the playing and don't consider him a team player, and further feels bad when Barry's son Quincy tells Ernest he's the best player in the world (even better than his father). This leads to Ernest deciding to pass the ball to the other players, who just pass it back to him, then he gets himself injured so he can't play, and then throws his shoes in the trash can.
- Informed Flaw: When the other custodians point out why Ernest can't play on a basketball team, one of them says that he is short like Yoda. Ernest has a more average height.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Between the team condemning him for his behavior on the court and Quincy finding said behavior more admirable than his own father, Ernest feels positively ashamed of himself.
- Mythology Gag: Many of the teams The Clean Sweeps play against have names used in other Ernest movies. These include Kik-a-Kee Smoked Fish, Mighty Workboys, Apple Maggot Insecticide, and a number of references to Ernest Scared Stupid, including Tulip Brothers Hardware, Hackmore Antiques, and Trantor Dairy.
- Ernest sings the opening theme song from Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Bean at one point.
- Parental Hypocrisy: Justified. Barry lectures Quincy about the importance of hard work, yet he didn't practice such an attitude back in his younger days. When Quincy points this out, Barry says that means he's been Taught by Experience. He forthrightly admits he messed up, which is why he refuses to let his son mess up the same way.
- Screw the Money, I Have Rules!: After his Heel Realization, Ernest makes an effort to be a team player and set a good example for Quincy however he can. He even gets to the point of taking the special shoes off and throwing them away, which will severely reduce his effectiveness for the rest of the championship. Moloch warns him that he's throwing away a fortune, to which Ernest tells him to go away.
- Shout-Out: At a couple of points in the film, Ernest is referred to as Air Ernest.
- Tragic Dropout: Barry notes how his desire to get immediate rewards rather than put in hard work led to him dropping out of school. He feels he could've play basketball in college and had a real shot at the pros, but his choices left him as a custodian playing city league ball in his spare time. Now, he has to work extra hard to provide for his family, and he only has a major longshot to achieve his dream.
- Unwitting Pawn: The ending reveals Ernest was this for the Archangel, but for a good cause. Moloch's intent the entire time was to corrupt Quincy. Ernest was the Archangel's roundabout way of teaching Quincy the importance of hard work rather than taking the easy way out.
- Verbal Backspace: When the Archangel declares he was three moves ahead the entire time, thunder is suddenly heard. He then clarifies he had a higher power helping in all this.
- Villain Respect: Moloch admits he can't help but be impressed by how the Arachangel used Ernest to foil his scheme to corrupt Quincy, calling the gambit simply brilliant.
- We Will Meet Again: A defeated Moloch says the Archangel of Basketball has indeed won, but he says there will be another time.
- Wham Line: The penultimate scene has an exchange that reveals what the movie was really about.Moloch: So, you figured out I was after Quincy all along. I had that kid the moment he laid eyes on those shoes.
The Archangel: But you didn't see Ernest coming, Zamiel. - WPUN: Dr. Love is the announcer for "WUSH".
