The Animal - R1 DVD Review

[Bolch]

My first review so go easy on me;)


The Animal.

The Film
The latest comedy from Adam Sandler's production company, Happy Madison. Marvin Mange (Rob Schneider) reprises a similar role to that in Deuce Bigalow. He plays an evidence clerk for the local police department, he would be a policeman if it wasn't for the fact that he's failed the physical test 3 times already.

When all the cops bunk off to watch a baseball game, Martin agrees to hold the fort. A call comes through about an armed robbery, so Marvin tries to contact the Police but their too busy with the game. Marvin decides to go by himself and on the way has a nasty car crash. He loses consiousnes and when he awakes goes back to work the next day. Back at work he finds out he's been missing for a week. He also finds himself adopting typically animal habbits.

He eventually finds out that your typical mad scientist saved him the only way possible, by replacing many of his body parts with those that belong to Animals. The focus of this comedy is Rob Schneider doing things like coming on to animals, swinging through trees like animals, he basically is an animal.

The DVD
The DVD consists of 2 Audio Commentaries. One from Directer Luke Greenfield and the second from Rob Schneider. I aint listened to these yet, but when I do I'll add comments here. Theres also 2 featurettes totalling 1/2 an hour with little info about the actuall fim. Trailers, Filmographies etc etc. Theres also a 'Follow the White Rabbit' type feature allowing you to view the deleted scenes. What I would have liked would be instead of the 'Follow the White Rabbit' a branching feature would have been nice so you could watch the film with all the deleted scenes in (which there appears to be a botu 20/30 misn worth) without having to press Enter on the remote eery 10 mins!

Overall
If you've enjoyed any other Happy Madison movies such as Deuce Bigalow, The Waterboy or Big Daddy Then your sure to enjoy this. The DVD certainly looks faeture packed compared to Decue and Waterboy although like I said I haven't listened to the commentaries yet.

One word of warning though, the trailer gives a heavy amount of the films funniest moments way ! But there is enough little funny moments to keep you interested.

Film 7/10
DVD 7.5/10

[Tony Keats]

Nice to see someone brave enough to admit that they bought this movie!. I like these sorts of films myself and my copy arrived this week.

Being ultra-pedantic for a minute, Happy Madison is Robert Simond's production company isn't it? (of which Sandler is a high-profile associate). Adam's just an "executive producer" in real terms (financial involvement aside). Simonds produced Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison when Sandler was just an up-and-comer (hence the "HapMad" name). I just thought I'd mention it because poor old Rob never seems to get the recognition he deserves (or the blame he deserves depending on your outlook!).

Aaanyway.... Yes, it's more of the same really isn't it?. Funny (yet dumb), enjoyable (yet slightly shameful!). They've got a distinct formula for light-hearted entertainment and they're determined to stick to it. The Animal has the now-familiar mixture of upbeat tunes, low-brow humour and a loser-turned-winner as the central character.

It's very funny in places too, the part with the orangutang was unexpectedly hilarious and the running down the street scene (with XL belly!) was pretty memorable also. The pace is intentionally speedy and it's break-neck stuff for the majority of the film (so the comedy comes thick & fast and theoretically has more laughs-per-second as a result). I thought it was a bit short on exposition actually and there are a few scenes that lacked logic because of this. At one point Marvin claims to be "in pursuit", even though he's seemingly only just left the station (because the part where he visits the crime-scene and subsequently gives chase is missing). Also, the extent of his new abilities aren't explained fully because they removed scenes filmed to demonstrate his newfound super-senses and they didn't use the computer graphics which detailed the operation.

A comedy doesn't have to be particularly believable (because the main aim is to incite laughter obviously), but even so, they cut out virtually all the instructive plot-pieces. In fairness, they have all been provided as deleted scenes, but that's not an acceptable approach really is it? (what about the VHS crowd? tough luck?). It's an incredibly short film aswell (82 mins I think), so there was no reason to excise SO much explanation.

It's funny and likeable in spite of this though and if you normally like these kinds of films, then this is definitely one for you. There isn't a deeper meaning or any attempt to educate the viewer, it's just a likeably juvenile and funny film (while being a remarkably silly and implausible one at the same time!).

[sharp_circle]

Cheers for the review guys......mine arrived today and i pick it up from the PO 2morrow so im lookin forward to it:)

[Bolch]

Thanks Tony - I couldn't have said it better myself!

I've always presumed it was Adam Sandlers production company so you're probably right.

The Orangatang (sp?) was hilarious but for me the highlight was..


"I can help you control your sexual urges" - Cue the monkey :D


Listened to the Rob Schneider commentary the other night. Every now again he says something worth hearing. But the majority of the time it's just him saying

This is good
Oh there he is
I like this bit
Thats a great shot
*yawn*

[Arch Stanton]

Is Bill Murray in it?

[nc]

or Bill Murrey?

[Bolch]

Originally posted by nc
or Bill Murrey?

Nah this is a recent comedy... Why would Bill be in it? :p:D

[Tony Keats]

The Sunday People gave The Animal a braindead hammering and awarded it a laughably undeserved 1 star out of 5!. The summary (probably based on unresearched assumptions) was:- "The only animal this calls to mind is a turkey"(!).

Considering the forgivingly warm receptions they gave to Down To Earth/Road Trip (which are equally low-brow and arguably less entertaining) and the fact that Osmosis Jones got 3/5 on the same page, I think this is a good example of how ignorant and worthless some reviewers can actually be (Jane Simon in this case).

She's obviously missed the point completely or maybe she just hates all of these kinds of film. A good review should convey exactly how the movie compares with similarly-themed releases though and I certainly don't want to be told "This genre is rubbish, so you shouldn't bother". I want informaton, not instruction...

I wasn't really surprised by the slating TBH and it's a good reminder of how useful the internet can be in terms of more sensible/fair-minded appraisals (but mostly that the tabloids are prejudiced and useless!).

[Letsgetdigital]

Loved Deuce Bigalow, but apart from the Orangutang (sp?) section, I thought that it was pretty poor. 5/10

[camino_real]

Sorry but this film was awful. It made me laugh twice. I sat in the cinema praying for it to end. There were about 40 of us in there and not one gag got a huge laugh. All the pauses that were left in the movie for the laughter breaks occured in dead silence. I suppose if you like this sort of comedy the film will appeal. But after suffering through this (and American Pie 2) I don't think I'll be seeing any more. I must be an old fuddy duddy :) 3/10

[Tony Keats]

3/10! Come on camino!. Surely that kind of rating should be reserved for absolutely appalling messes which are badly directed, staged and/or acted. I don't think it's any of those things though is it? (honestly?). The acting and tone are both ultra-suitable for this crazy premise and even being silly/apparently unfunny wouldn't make it "awful".

If you honestly didn't find it funny, then fair enough, but the production values and overall effort are evident in every frame. You do say "if you like this sort of comedy the film will appeal", which kind of makes 3/10 look irrefutably harsh don't you think?!. If I sound abrasive, I apologise and I was glad to see you notified everyone that you're possibly just a fuddy duddy(!) as it helps to put your remarks in context a little better.

Thing is, I really enjoyed it!. Seeing negative comments from other people is actually making me a bit paranoid about my personal taste!. I'd not normally be so bothered, but Jonathan Ross enjoyed it too (and I usually violently disagree with his views), so I hope you're a fuddy duddy for my sake at least!. I admit, the first 10 minutes SEEMED heavy-going first time round and the gags felt a bit forced initially. Once you get used to the pace and characters though, it's easily on a par with all the other Happy Madison stuff and better than lots of other stale comedies about (Scary Movie 2/Down To Earth etc).

The Animal is a very guilty pleasure you see and although I didn't watch it in the cinema personally, I can understand people being uneasy with the film in that particular situation. I'd have probably held back too (through fear of snooty disdain if nothing else) and films as peculiar as this work better at home I think. I liked it better second-time round aswell, largely because I didn't need the exposition anymore (good thing too when you remember that they cut most of it out anyway!).

On viewing it last week, I distinctly remember thinking to myself "future cult-classic". I'm not as sure as I once was though... Is it a harshly judged, highly competent piece of daft entertainment? or have I completely lost my mind?! (time will tell I suppose...).

[camino_real]

Tony, why be paranoid at the fact that you enjoyed the movie and that other people didn't? Probably I should be worried that I didn't like it :) Tasteless comedy doesn't offend me, but I just found that this film didn't make me laugh. The reason I gave it 3/10 was because I didn't find it funny, the rating was mine, sorry you disagree. Still isn't it healthy that there's such a diversity of views on this newsgroup? Makes life interesting. :)

[AndyWilson]

Originally posted by Tony Keats
3/10! Come on camino!. Surely that kind of rating should be reserved for absolutely appalling messes which are badly directed, staged and/or acted.

If the trailer I saw on TV 5 mins ago is anything to go by 3/10 is extremely generous! And that's the funniest bits??????

(just balancing the opinions)

[Tony Keats]

Nah, the trailer doesn't do it any favours TBH. I felt the same when I saw the ads for Deuce Bigalow and I was actually put-off rather than enticed. I think this production team make movies which are kind of an acquired taste and I thoroughly enjoyed Deuce when I eventually got to see it.

They probably aim the trailers at the mainstream crowd (specifically the dumb ones!) and aren't overly bothered how accurate the campaign is. I'm not claiming that any of the Madison movies are intellectual when compared to similar films, but they DO have a distinct "quality" about them that makes them superior. They're always slick and are cut together from innumerable different takes/ideas and are basically the spawn of perfectionism (does that sound pretentious?!). It doesn't make them perfect of course, but at least they're punchy and more effective than they otherwise would be.

I think it's because of the rock-solid formula they use (and haven't strayed from yet). If you don't happen to like their sensibilities (and finished products), then you're best off avoiding ALL of their releases IMO. Once you get a taste for their trademark style though (which I myself find endlesly endearing) it's always baffling to be confronted by such scathing back-biting. Particularly because the arguments always seem so inaccurate and unsubstantiated.