Kangaroo Jack Review
by Frankie Paiva (swpstke AT aol DOT com)January 21st, 2003
KANGAROO JACK * 1/2
2003 - USA
Director: David McNally
Starring: Jerry O'Connell, Anthony Anderson, Estella Warren, Dyan Cannon, Christopher Walken, and Michael Shannon
Reviewed by Frankie Paiva
Kangaroo Jack is the latest film on Hollywood's long list of stupid kid movies about mischievous animals and the formerly respected actors pulled down with them. This formula has always been a moneymaking staple for studios (recent debacles like Cats & Dogs or Gordy come to mind), and is becoming a near tradition for the Martin Luther King weekend in January. Last year it was the mind numbingly awful Snow Dogs. This year we have Kangaroo Jack, which unlike most other movies in its genre, is successful because it's bad in a pleasant way rather than a painful one. There's no point where you actually wishing it would stop, but there's no point where you're really enjoying yourself either.
Two friends, Charlie and Louis (Jerry O'Connell and Anthony Anderson), are traveling across the Australian Outback to deliver $50,000 to the mob. (I'd tell you why, but do you really care?) Along the way, the money gets into the hands, or, rather, the pouch of a kangaroo. Wacky chases and toilet humor ensue as Charlie and Louis try to hunt down the jumping animal with the help of sensitive, understanding environmentalist Jessie (Estella Warren). Jessie of course is drop dead gorgeous, often bathes in tight, see-through clothing, and instantly falls in love with Charlie.
The film is just one boring cliché after another. Writers Steve Bing, Barry O'Brien, and Scott Rosenberg took what is actually a mildly amusing premise and dulled it down until every joke was the same. A camel farting loudly is admittedly hilarious on some very, very basic childish level, but not ten times. The script milks its stereotypes for humor, and comes up with far too many lame white boy jokes, dangerous animals jokes, and stupid Australian jokes.
The script has some of the worst dialogue I've heard since Summer Catch. My personal favorite is the cheese ball of an ending that includes the line, "You thought you only saved my life once, but you've saved my life more times than I could ever count." While Anthony Anderson salvages himself with his usual fast talking shtick, Jerry O'Connell couldn't give a convincing performance if his life depended on it. He seems to know he's in a bad movie, but doesn't try to make the best of it like Anderson does. It just seems like he gave up.
At least O'Connell's not as bad as Estella Warren, who should abandon all possible future roles other than Gorgeous Mute and go back to modeling. Christopher Walken (of last year's equally horrible The Country Bears) and Dyan Cannon both make brief appearances that fail to liven things up.
Also, the whole subplot about the main characters being involved in the mob led to a lot of unnecessary violence that went right over the kids in the audience's heads. There's also some sexual innuendo and lots of drinking that parents might not find appropriate for their children.
While the film certainly enters so bad it's good territory, it's ultimately disappointing because the title kangaroo gets so little screen time. I wanted to see more of the kangaroo! He's the person the movie is based off of, and since we don't really care about the humans, there's not a lot to appreciate. If you really have to see this movie, wait until it hops into video stores in the very near future.
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