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The Flintstones (1994)
The idea of a live action re-boot of the classic Hanna/Barbera cartoon series from the 60's probably seemed like a good idea on paper. However, other than some spectacular production values, this movie just didn't work for me.
After recreating the classic opening credit sequence of Fred sliding off the dinosaur and taking his family to the drive-in, the story starts with Barney thanking Fred for lending him money so that he can adopt Bamm-Bamm and swearing to pay Fred back. A sleazy junior executive at Fred's construction company named Cliff Vandercave offers an executive position to one of the construction workers if they can pass a test. Barney sees that Fred's answers are all wrong and in an attempt to pay him back, switches his test with Fred's and Fred gets the new job. What Fred nor Barney know is that the new position is just a front for an embezzling scheme and one of the first things Cliff makes Fred do is fire Barney.
I've loved The Flintstones ever since I was a kid and I really, really wanted to like this movie and I'm having a hard time pinpointing exactly what it is about the movie that doesn't work. Director Brian Levant (Jingle All the Way) does a superb job of establishing the look and period of the film...that stone-aged look with the contemporary sensibilities, including appliances that talk (though that is only utilized once here). Elaborate set pieces that look stone-age but have a contemporary feel loom throughout the movie, but it wasn't the settings and props made the cartoon series work, it was these four lead characters that endeared us to the show and that's where this show goes wrong.
First of all, Fred would never loan Barney money so that he could adopt a baby, which didn't happen in the original series. Second animated Barney never would have switched those tests because he was always sick of being in Fred's shadow anyway. I did believe the wealth of his new position going to Fred's head, but firing Barney and watching him and Betty live on the streets? The animated Fred never would have done that.
On the positive side, I can't think of a more perfect marriage of character and actor than Fred Flintstone and John Goodman. Rosie O'Donnell nails the Betty Rubble giggle and Kyle MacLachlan was an acceptable mustache-twirling villian. This film also marked the final feature film appearance of the iconic Elizabeth Taylor in an over the top turn as Fred's mother-in-law. The film is an impressive technical achievement, but it was the longest ninety minutes of my life.
The idea of a live action re-boot of the classic Hanna/Barbera cartoon series from the 60's probably seemed like a good idea on paper. However, other than some spectacular production values, this movie just didn't work for me.
After recreating the classic opening credit sequence of Fred sliding off the dinosaur and taking his family to the drive-in, the story starts with Barney thanking Fred for lending him money so that he can adopt Bamm-Bamm and swearing to pay Fred back. A sleazy junior executive at Fred's construction company named Cliff Vandercave offers an executive position to one of the construction workers if they can pass a test. Barney sees that Fred's answers are all wrong and in an attempt to pay him back, switches his test with Fred's and Fred gets the new job. What Fred nor Barney know is that the new position is just a front for an embezzling scheme and one of the first things Cliff makes Fred do is fire Barney.
I've loved The Flintstones ever since I was a kid and I really, really wanted to like this movie and I'm having a hard time pinpointing exactly what it is about the movie that doesn't work. Director Brian Levant (Jingle All the Way) does a superb job of establishing the look and period of the film...that stone-aged look with the contemporary sensibilities, including appliances that talk (though that is only utilized once here). Elaborate set pieces that look stone-age but have a contemporary feel loom throughout the movie, but it wasn't the settings and props made the cartoon series work, it was these four lead characters that endeared us to the show and that's where this show goes wrong.
First of all, Fred would never loan Barney money so that he could adopt a baby, which didn't happen in the original series. Second animated Barney never would have switched those tests because he was always sick of being in Fred's shadow anyway. I did believe the wealth of his new position going to Fred's head, but firing Barney and watching him and Betty live on the streets? The animated Fred never would have done that.
On the positive side, I can't think of a more perfect marriage of character and actor than Fred Flintstone and John Goodman. Rosie O'Donnell nails the Betty Rubble giggle and Kyle MacLachlan was an acceptable mustache-twirling villian. This film also marked the final feature film appearance of the iconic Elizabeth Taylor in an over the top turn as Fred's mother-in-law. The film is an impressive technical achievement, but it was the longest ninety minutes of my life.