The Dukes of Hazzard (2005) Movie Review, Trailer, Film Still and Poster

USA, Australia 2005
Director: Jay Chandrasekhar
Cast: Seann William Scott, Johnny Knoxville, Jessica Simpson, Burt Reynolds, Willie Nelson, David Koechner
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: 5 August 2005
Running Time: 1 hour 47 minutes

The Movie Review

The Dukes of Hazzard film still 1


The DUKES Of HAZZARD
Storyline:
Cast:
Ending:
Overall:

If one has the idea to make a remake of a movie, than one might seek for a good classic movie/TV-series to be produced, but if some filmmakers decided to remake a movie from a not-very-popular TV-series, maybe for some patriotic personal reason, then they gotta make sure to pimp it enormously. Such enormous pimping is sadly not the case of The Dukes of Hazzard, a lousy remake of a TV-series of the 70s. To be frankly, I used to see the re-runs of The Dukes of Hazzard TV-series as a kid, and I still can recall the light atmosphere and the genuine fun from the series..., something which can be said as absent in this big screen version.

Although light in tone of violence, The Dukes of Hazzard could be categorized as an exploitation movie. So-called Hixploitation, a movie that exploits Hillbilly, you could just tell that right from the tagline "Cousins, Outlaws, Thrillbillies". It could be a good thing, if the last word rings true, but it doesn't. Thrill has lost its meaning.

This film in bulk revolves around the dispute between Cousins Bo Duke (Seann William Scott) and Luke Duke (Johnny Knoxville) with The Town's commissioner Boss Hogg (Burt Reynolds). Boss Hogg wants to wipe out the Dukes' farmstead and has a very bad intention to the Hazzard County, Georgia, where they all live. Bo and Luke team up with Daisy Duke (Jessica Simpson), Uncle Jesse and the local mechanic, Cooter (David Koechner) to outsmart Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane the loyal minion of Hogg's. While Bo and Luke have their ultimate weapon in a form of 1969 Orange Dodge Charger, Daisy uses her sexiness and of course her shorts to make way for Bo and Luke.

Just try to comprehend this film as this..., basically it's just a crammed version of all episodes of the Dukes of Hazzard TV series. I like Johnny Knoxville, but even though he is somehow not a miscast, he still brings that Jackass' charm with him, with that crazy jackass stunts. I could say there are 3 highlights in this film, first the itsy bitsy jackass stunt scene, needless Jessica Simpson appearance with her weird accent and "oh-I’m-so-hot" attitude, and that friggin’ Dodge Charger car "The General Lee". By the by it's not surprising to see Johnny in this comedy flick, recalling the director is Jayanth Chandrashekar who has good relationship with Jackass guys. To the lead actors' credit, Seann and Johnny are believable enough to be cousins.

The Dukes of Hazzard is too darn lucky having reached considerable box office success. To my defense it's just to satisfy my curiosity to see what General Lee would do this time. That's it. This movie is just too dramatic to be funny and too silly to be brilliant.

© iwan pranowo of Movielogy.com