Customer Reviews

Mouse Hunt [VHS]

5 star:		(78)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

I think one of the most annoying things about movie critics is that they're supposed to know their stuff, but in the end they come across as just being college guys looking for something dirty to watch! Isn't it funny how they can't help but get down on a hilarious, old fashioned comedy like this and yet show them something like American Pie and it's great intellectual humor! A modern classic! Sickening! This movie was totally hilarious with hardly any sexual humor at all! Allright, just a hint here and there that wasn't necessary. Beyond that this movie was such a perfect comedy for everyone! I absolutely loved this movie! They used every cartoon trick in the book to try and stop that mouse! And wasn't Christopher Walken just incredible?!!! The casting in this was soooo great! It makes me so sad when movies like this come out and hardly get noticed by the public for whatever reason! Probably the lack of sex humor is evident and the previews and it keeps the movie goers away. Anyway I loved it! Do yourself a favor and pick it up! I've got it on VHS but hope to get the DVD eventually!

Mix in the elements of an early Coen brothers film with some Disney magic, a mouse that could star on digital cable's "Bridezilla", some Laurel and Hardy slapstick with generous portions of "Home Alone" and "The Money Pit" and you've got "Mouse Hunt", an offbeat comedy that is great for everyone.

Comic actors Nathan Lane and Lee Evans star as the Smuntz brothers, a pair of schlemiels that inherit a rickety factory and even more rickety house. Through a freak, they learn the house is potentially worth big bucks and the brothers do their best to turn it into their personal cash cow amidst failures in their professional and personal lives.

The fly in the ointment is a mouse that lives in the house and won't be discarded. This little critter is surely the star of this show and the one you root for over and over again during this happy time DVD. The little guy seems to have a brain bigger than Chicago the way he outwits everyone in the movie time after time.

Kids will enjoy this with you although they won't enjoy the echt-Coen brothers production values. The factory scenes seem stolen from "Hudsucker Proxy" and many of the characterizations are cacricatures you may have seen in "Miller's Crossing". A lot of people will simply call this "Home Alone" with the rodent substituted for the kid and the dopey brothers for the crooks.

Still this is an enjoyable and amiable two hour venture into laughs and wonder that you won't often see on DVD. The script is clever and the action plenty in this little flick. Take it home tonight and look forward to an evening of fun for the whole family.

It's very rare that I laugh out loud at anything, but every time I watch this movie, I do just that. It's tear-running-down-my cheeks-from-laughing funny.

What a delight to watch this movie and forget about all the daily cares and problems.

I can't believe that this movie was marketed strictly as a children's film. There are at least 4 scenes I can think of which make me laugh out loud just remembering them. Mouse Hunt is a live-action Road Runner or Tom & Jerry cartoon. I guess if you have a thing about violence then you shouldn't watch this, but it's really more cartoon violence than anything else, and there's something inherently hysterical about watching two adults get the stuffing kicked out of them mainly because of their own moronic actions.

This is the movie that you watch when you've had a really bad day and need to laugh.

I could watch this movie over and over. The first time I saw it I nearly fell out of my chair laughing.

I can't belive some of these awful reviews this movie is getting. "2nd worst movie i have ever seen"? come on , i have seen bad movies and they don't look like this. Lets start with the look, what year is it? what lush and rich backgrounds, great costumes, GREAT lighting. This film looks fantastic. Now throw in a fantastic cast, Nathan Lane is one of todays jewels, a real genius, Lee Evans , i think is amazing , like a Charlie Chaplin reincarnation( you must see some other movies with him to understand fully what i mean). To top it off we have Chris Walkin, oh come on, and you say this is a bad movie! Bad movies have Lou Ferigno in them, not Nathan Lane. I am not saying this movie is perfect, i had some problems with the continuity and i thought the characters could have been flushed out some more. But this was Gore Verbinski's 1st film. Not bad for a 1st film. Now i might be a tad bias on this film, you see i have 2 young boys who watch this movie non-stop, so in turn i watch this movie non-stop. I liked it the first time, i liked even more the 34th time and i really like it now after 243 times. I think that says something about a film in itself.

As I write this, the average rating for MOUSE HUNT is 3-1/2 stars, which strikes me as a pretty fair evaluation. The movie is funny, and the chemistry between Nathan Lane and Lee Evans is good. In fact, the performances are generally good. Walken is hilarious as the overly intense exterminator. Even the mouse is great. Beyond that, though, the broad slapstick humor is rather predictable and gets somewhat repetitive by the end. Also, for a movie that would appeal to kids, there are a couple of sexually oriented bits that are just a little too much (i.e. Vicki Lewis in a sexy outfit and Lane with his hand way down the front of a woman's dress).

If some unsubtle laughs fit the bill, MOUSE HUNT isn't a bad choice. It's funny enough that most folks will get some chuckles out of it. I have a copy on my shelf and can give it a mild endorsement. Just don't expect too much. It's not going to show up on any list of classic comedies. I'm giving it three stars. That's a strong three, but I can't quite justify four.

Mousehunt Dreamworks SKG 1.85:1/PS/16x9/Dolby Digital

"Mousehunt" is a story about the brothers Smuntz, Ernie and Lars; two brothers who always seem to be down on their luck. Ernie has just lost his job as a restauraunt owner; Lars, well, Lars didn't even have a job. Then, one day, their father, who owned the biggest string factory around, dies. He leaves the brothers the factory and an old house. Not terribly impressed with what they get, the brothers suddenly find out that the old house is worth millions; the only problem is one little mouse that won't give up his house so easily.

I didn't catch "Mousehunt" till it was released on video, and, to my suprise, I really enjoyed it. It has somewhat of a warped sensibility and tone for a "kids" film, but I found it has a certain enjoyable edge. Imagine if the Coen Brothers("The Big Lebowski") directed a kids film and you'll understand into what territory you're headed. Performances are generally very good as well from British comic Lee Evans("There's Something About Mary") and Nathan Lane, who is amazingly much more funny here than in his failing sitcom, "Encore, Encore". It may not be for the youngest of kids, but there are many out there who I think might find this "different" kids film funny. The work done bringing the mouse to screen(a mix of real, anamatronic and FX mice) is also very well done. As much as I liked the movie, I also marvel at its technical work.

The Disc:

Picture: So good. So very good. "Mousehunt" is absolutely, positively goregous looking on this disc. "Mousehunt" is one of those titles that will definitely, or should definitely, set a standard for excellence in picture quality. There are absolutely no artifacts that I could see and the pictures contrast and clarity are outstanding; the shadows and light in the indoor scenes are also breathtakingly transfered to disc. Color saturation is perfect; images are stunning and vibrant throughout. Dreamworks has done an outstanding job.

Audio: Superb as well, bringing Alan Silvestri's wonderful score to digital life. Sounds are picked up wonderfully, from the mouse scattering across the floors or through the walls as well as scenes like the string factory explosion in the beginning. Even when the two brothers are smashing the house as well as themselves to get to the mouse, it's all brought to life wonderfully and richly.

Menus: Really impressively done. Dreamworks has put together a very cute main menu with Lane's eyes following the mouse as it scoots across the screen and back. Scene selection is animated and when you go to the next scene, a piece of cheese comes flying at you not only from the screen but through your speakers.

Extras:Again, a very good job. Both the teaser and full theatrical trailers are included here as well as a selection of deleted scenes(6 in all). What I really liked about the deleted scene menu is it tells you who the star is that is featured in the deleted scene as well as a sentence that gives you a general idea what it's about. There are also the usual texts about each actor as well as notes about the production. But, as with the other menus, I really liked the design.

Box Note: The box also has the little notes bar like the Universal discs have to tell you what kind of sound, disc, etc. Also on the box are notes about the special features. Well done.

Languages: English(Dolby Digital)/ Spanish(Dolby Surround)/ French(Dolby Surround) Subtitles: English Captions/ Spanish Subtitles.

Overall: Dreamworks was the last major studio to jump into DVD, but I don't mind. You know why? Because, maybe they weren't like this, but here is what I imagine after watching this disc: workers at Dreamworks scanning the internet late into the night seeing what people do and don't like; going through mountains of discs, educating themselves as to what is acceptable and what isn't acceptable, doing research upon research as to what makes a good disc. Then when actual production started, I imagine the staff going over and over and over the final product, making sure it's absolutely perfect.

A disc represents who you are. Dreamworks has made it clear that they are proud and that they stand behind their films. One of the best things I can say is that I was so impressed by this disc, it almost made me consider buying the other Dreamworks discs(I *REALLY* disliked both "Peacemaker" and "Small Soldiers") just to see if they were as good as this disc. A job well done.

Running Time:1 hr, 38 min. Region:1 Chapters:20 Disc: Double sided(Pan/Scan on one, LTBX on the other) Rating:PG

Grades: Picture:**** Audio:**** Extras:*** Menus:**** Film:***

Overall:****

This definitely has me excited for future Dreamworks product, like a possible "Antz" special edition as well as "Amistad" and "Paulie."

Review Originally Appeared On The Website, "A Guide TO Current Film."

A. Webmaster, A Guide To Current Film

For the longest time, live action comedies with animals usually feature dogs. But by the 1990s, robots and computer effects had advanced to the point that the two funniest animal comedies featured a pig and a mouse. This was the less famous of the two, but is every bit as good. The story is simple; two brothers inherit a mansion and try to spruce it up for an auction. Unfortunately for them, a mouse inhabits the mansion and counters their every move. Their game of cat-and-mouse ends with the mansion being destroyed. The movie is a comedy, and like all good comedies, it examines a fundamental human flaw, in this case greed. The greed of the two brothers, their families, and of the various individuals who want to buy their mansion. The mouse itself looks quite real, even in the close-up shots. The style of comedy is a combination of old-fashion slapstick, wry British dialogue, and the occasional dirty joke. But overall, the entire movie is suitable for all ages.

Some notable things about this movie. First, it was the first big outing for Gore Verbinski, who would go on to make Pirates of the Caribbean. Second, one cannot spot a single brand name in this movie. Only one other movie has such a distinction; Dick Tracy. And like Dick Tracy, the viewer really cannot guess the decade in which this movie takes place. For sure it happened in the 20th century, since a television, radio, and automobiles are present. But the dress, hairstyle and even language are nondescript. This movie is fun to watch, and a piece of art; I highly recommend it.

This movie is great escape footage....I could watch it 20 more times. It mirrors life in that sometimes it's the little, ridiculous things that can bring us down....the lesson: learn to live with it or just let it go if you can't change something....but in the mean time, have a good laugh while two bumbling guys face the challenge of their lives in one little mouse!