DUDLEY DO-RIGHT
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1999 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): **
Sequel. Remake. Adaptation.
Choose one of the above and hire a bankable star. This tired formula is
the essence of many studios' conservative approach to filmmaking. The
predictably bland results may not excite audiences, but the risk of
financial failure is greatly diminished. If enough people like the star
and know the story, they will come, no matter how lame the production
and how mediocre the reviews.
Thus it is with Universal's DUDLEY DO-RIGHT, a live-action adaptation of
the old kids' television cartoon. Starring Brendan Fraser as Dudley
Do-Right, a Royal Canadian Mountie who is one of the world's stupidest
cops, the movie proves that some cartoons are hard to adapt to
live-action. The grown-ups in DUDLEY DO-RIGHT just end up looking
embarrassingly silly and are only sporadically funny. The slapstick
humor is heavy on falling-down jokes. Writer and director Hugh Wilson
believes that, if having Dudley fall out of his chair once can generate
a few laughs, just have him do it again. Ditto for the loose
floorboards that keep hitting him in the face.
The plot involves suspicion of vampires, wealthy Indians who run a
lavish dinner show and, most of all, a Canadian gold rush that has
"Yuppie wetbacks" storming across the Canadian border to get in on the
action.
Alfred Molina in a by-the-numbers performance plays Snidely Whiplash, an
arch villain and Dudley's long-time nemesis. Sarah Jessica Parker
brings nothing to her role as Nell Fenwick, Dudley's girlfriend since
childhood.
Although Fraser has some nice moments, the only consistently enjoyable
performance is that by Corey Burton who does the off-screen voice of the
announcer. Even so, his lines would work much better were the movie
animated. "Though she had traveled far and wide, Nell had never heard a
confession of love before from a moose," the announcer tells us after a
moose head falls onto Dudley's shoulders as he professes love for his
Nell.
"Not since their all-male revival of 'Little Women' had the Kumquat
Nation faced such a hostile reaction," the announcer explains when the
Indians run into a spot of trouble. (In a bow to political correctness,
the Indians explain at the end that they weren't really Indians after
all.)
Among the few enjoyable parts of the movie is an Indian dance
extravaganza that looks like a River Dance sequence as choreographed by
Busby Berkeley. Another nice section has Snidely becoming the hero of
the local inhabitants after he transforms their sleepy little village
into a lucrative, gold rush boomtown. Finally, in a high-spirited dance
number, Fraser shows, as he did in BLAST FROM THE PAST, that he can
really cut a rug.
"All you have to do is find 599 of the stupidest criminals around and
everything will fall into place," Snidely says about his criminal plans.
The movie takes a similarly simplistic approach. Dudley's horse, whose
name is Horse, best summarizes the result. After the movie is over,
Horse's head appears through the screen as he sticks out his tongue to
give it raspberries. My sentiments exactly.
DUDLEY DO-RIGHT runs just 1:15. It is rated PG for mild comic action
violence and for brief language and innuendo. It would be fine for most
kids.
My son Jeffrey, age 10, who gave the move ** 1/2, said, "even though I
didn't laugh, I thought it was kind of funny." (How's that for tepid
praise?)
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Have I seen this movie: Yes
And what did I think: I don't know why I rented this movie exactly. I knew it was going to be pretty dumb since it was from the same people who brought us the stupid George Of The Jungle. I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment. Anyway, this is an adaptation of the 60's cartoon of the same name. I think we all know by now how bad 90's movies can be that are adaptations of 60's tv shows. The list is just too big to name them all. Well add this to that large list of bad remakes. Now I dont really remember the original cartoon so I cant make a fair comparison, however I have heard that its nowhere as good as the original. There is a newly produced fractured fairy tale of Dudley Do-right that is shown during the opening credits at least. It makes you hope for a better movie then what we got. I just know Brendan Fraser better stop taking these dumb roles and stick to some of the better stuff, like his role in Gods And Monsters, or he's going to be typecast at an early age. The story is rather silly, the evil Snidely takes over the town of Semi-Happy Valley by taking over the bank. All the residents leave and he puts his rather large band of bad guys in charge of the town. He then creates a fake gold rush craze to attract people to the town so he can make money off them. He also has to stop Dudley Do-Right too, of course even though Dudley gets ejected from the Royal Mounties halfway through the movie and even loses his horse. With the spirtual help of a prospector played by Eric Idle, he gets his girl back (Sarah Jessica Parker), his horse back, his uniform back and saves the day again. Alex Rocco is always in this movie and has some humorous scenes as Dudley's Indian Chief friend. Now there is some silly humor here that will make you laugh, but gets less funny towards the end of the movie. I personally before a smarter type of comedy, but if you were someone who enjoyed George Of The Jungle, then you might get a few laughs from this as well. I wouldnt recommend renting this, but rather wait to see it for free if you can.
I give Dudley Do-Right 2 out of 5 stars
Review written December 31, 1999
