Wuchak
RELEASED IN 2003 and directed by David McNally, "Kangaroo Jack" is a family-friendly adventure/comedy about two Brooklyn friends (Jerry O'Connell and Anthony Anderson) who are commissioned by a mob boss (Christopher Walken) to deliver $50,000 to a shady character in the Outback. The operation goes awry when a kangaroo inadvertently runs off with one of the guys' jacket... and the money. Michael Shannon is on hand as a mob heavy.This is a likable, amusing adventure flick with the typical eye-rolling kid humor (e.g. fart jokes). It's fun, harmless hokum highlighted by spectacular Australian cinematography and the beautiful Estella Warren as an Outback preservationist. The humorous camaraderie of the protagonists is another highpoint. But the story isn't as compelling as I hoped it would be and the camera never really captures Estella's beauty beyond her lovely face and pulchritude.THE FILM RUNS 1 hour, 29 minutes and was shot in Australia and Brooklyn with reshoots done in Los Angeles.GRADE: C+
Steve Pulaski
Kangaroo Jack seriously has me torn. Torn between my childhood love for the film and my current thoughts on it. Years ago, this was one of my favorite films. I watched it various times, and for some reason, couldn't get enough of it. This was also the first film that spawned my love for Anthony Anderson. He sort of reminded me of a new age Chris Farley character. He had no limits, and he was always lovable in his presentation.My thoughts on the film has slightly changed since my last viewing, roughly three years ago. My view on the film didn't change as much as when I rewatched Hey Arnold!: The Movie having not seen it in x amount of years, but it didn't stay the same like it did when I rewatched Good Burger.Still, it's difficult to hate a film so lively and amusing. It revolves around Jerry O'Connell's Charlie, a hair stylist barely making end's meet at his current salon and Anthony Anderson's Louis as his slow-witted, dopey accomplice. After a deal gone completely wrong, Charlie's stepfather Salvatore Maggio (Walken) tells both of them to take a plane to Australia and deliver a confidential package to a man named "Mr. Smith" in the Australian Outback.Even after being told not to open the package, Louis opens it to reveal over $50,000 in Benjamin Franklins. Upon arrival to Australia, by accident, Charlie runs over a kangaroo and believes to have killed it. Louis gets the bright idea to put his red Brooklyn jacket, with the money, on the kangaroo after recognizing the beast as "Jackie Legs." The kangaroo turns out to be alive and hops away with the jacket and the money, leaving both Charlie and Louis hopeless, desperate, and pessimistic of the consequences if Sal finds out.I recently mentioned in my review of Three Amigos that the fish out of water premise rarely works. Here, it doesn't break a whole lot of new ground, yet it doesn't make a game out of humiliating the outsiders like many other films of the genre do. Also, the Outback scenery is fantastic with the rusty colored sand and the heat of the desert is captured with pure realism. This is the case where a kid's movie goes a bit beyond expectations.Yet, it goes below expectations with some of the kiddy jokes. Case and point, the camel scene. Unnecessary and not funny. It furthers my thoughts that Hollywood, sometimes, compiles the lowest common denominator of childish entertainment and throws the scattered, messy bag into a film.The film redeems itself by offering characters we'd probably like if they were realistic, and brings above average backstory to its plot. I don't think I've seen a kid's film recently that had as much story focus on the character's lives since Kangaroo Jack.Now comes the inevitable kangaroo, which is the least impressive thing in the film. The kangaroo is odd, and even stranger when he speaks. His lips move in a very odd manner, and his movements are very unnatural. When he jumps, due to the sketchy technology at the time (also present in Ang Lee's Hulk, released the same year) the sound seems to break as if a strong, abrupt wind is blowing by. It's odd, but doesn't happen often. I think the most haunting scene involving the marsupials is when Charlie has a hallucination with several characters voicing several other kangaroos. Even at the end when Jackie Legs says goodbye it comes off as unappealing, and we're glad to be rid of such a peculiar character.Director David McNally also tries to pay homage to the film many of us refer to as "wet, young, voluptuous women bar dance on a table for about an hour and a half. Of course I'm talking about Coyote Ugly, one of his earlier works. The scene involves Estella Warren showering under a waterfall. The scene is very tame and is likely to go unnoticed. It's no worse than the subtleties in shows like Rugrats or Spongebob Squarepants.Kangaroo Jack has a heart, but sometimes it gets too rambunctious with its immaturity. Its strange protagonist doesn't help matters, but its sufficient plot, steady characters, and fantastic scenery do. It's a cheery, entertaining film. Sometimes, that's good enough for the kids. But maybe not so much for the adults.Starring: Jerry O'Connell, Anthony Anderson, Estella Warren, Christopher Walken, and Michael Shannon. Directed by: David McNally.
