|
|
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
a disaster of seismic proportions, December 31, 2002
First there was "Howard the Duck;" then came "Ishtar;" now we have "The Adventures of Pluto Nash," a film so misguided in its conception and so ham-handed in its execution that it can take its rightful place among the great cinematic blunders of all time.At what point, do you reckon, in the course of making this film, did star Eddie Murphy, director Ron Underwood and the investors at Warner Brothers Studios realize what a monumental turkey they had on their hands? In this classic misfire, Murphy plays a former smuggler turned nightclub owner who is being chased by a bunch of henchmen trying to muscle in on his scene. And, oh yes, did I forget to mention that this all takes place on the moon circa 2087? I kid you not. Well, all I can say is that "Total Recall" this is not. What all these people could have been thinking of when they sank their money, their time and, most important, their reputations into this hopeless enterprise is beyond mere mortal understanding. Suffice it to say that, with the exception of some outstanding art direction, set design and special effects, "Pluto Nash" is stillborn from the word go. The story is banal, the acting stilted, the humor nonexistent. Most shocking of all are the alleged "action" sequences, which look as if they were shot and staged by some precocious junior high school students working on a class project for extra credit. Murphy, Rosario Dawson, Pam Grier, Peter Boyle, John Cleese, and, above all, Randy Quaid - all fine actors under other circumstances - are made to look as ridiculous as possible, running around like mad trying to take all this seriously and pretend that they AREN'T stuck in one of the legendary bombs of all time. It's truly a painful and embarrassing sight to behold. Then again, how many actors can say they've appeared in one of the classic movie boners of all time? There's immortality of sorts even in that, I guess.
|