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THE
ADVENTURES OF ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE
6/10
US
2000
dir
Des McAnuff
scr Kenneth Lonergan
cin Thomas Ackerman
stars Robert De Niro, Piper Perabo, Jason Alexander, Rene Russo
91mins
Not
long ago, every new De Niro movie
was a potential Event - now it seems each one is a potential Embarrassment.
In this updating of the anarchic sixties cartoon he’s Fearless Leader,
whose dastardly plans bring the title’s squirrel/moose combo out of retirement
into the 3-D present. Not hard to see why this big-budget production bombed
in the States - it’s being mistakenly sold as a children’s movie, but
most of the gags fly way over kids’ heads, and few adults will be lured
in by fond memories of the original.
Bobby
even gets to parody his own ‘You talkin to me?’ speech, in a chillingly
how-the-mighty-have-fallen moment. But, mainly thanks to screenwriter
Lonergan (You Can Count
On Me) the film as a whole isn’t bad at all. It’s an easygoing,
quite inventive romp, much closer to Austin Powers than George
of the Jungle, with goofy laughs, a satirical edge, and relentless
self-mockery. And, it’s nice to report, Bullwinkle still sounds like Donald
Sutherland doing a ‘funny’ voice...
31st
January 2001
by Neil
Young
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