Kangaroo Jack (2003) Movie Review, Trailer, Film Still and Poster

USA, Australia 2003
Director: David McNally
Cast: Jerry O'Connell, Anthony Anderson, Estella Warren, Christopher Walken, Marton Csokas, Dyan Cannon
Rating: PG
Release Date: 17 January 2003
Running Time: 1 hour 29 minutes

The Movie Review

Kangaroo Jack film still 1


KANGAROO JACK
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Kangaroo jack is another movie based on an urban legend, but as some of you guys might already know, not all urban legend stories are horrifying. This one is quite amazing in a ridiculous kind of way. And actually Kangaroo Jack is prone to be torn apart by nitpicking viewers or critics as it mostly comprises of unfunny moments, and unfunny moments in a comedy spells f. a. i. l. But Kangaroo Jack also has some good stuff to offer its viewers. I, for one, am ok for what they have in store, mostly because the film is shot in Australia with its magnificent and famous outback.

Louis Booker (Anthony Anderson) and Charlie Carbone (Jerry O'Connell) are best budds. In their childhood, Louis saved Charlie from drowning and from that moment on Louis has been tagging along to Charlie. Charlie looks up on him as his savior although in their adulthood, Louis brings nothing but troubles. And the culmination of all the troubles is when Louis makes Charlie becomes the direct anger-target of Charlie's step-father, a very dangerous mob boss named Salvatore Maggio (Christopher Walken). These two morons cost Salvatore around 4.5 millions of greenbacks. Being a step-father, Salvatore curbs himself from killing his own step-son and simply orders these two buddies to work on the latest mission in Australia and not to mess up again.

So off they go all the way from New York to Sydney, Australia. And as soon as they get to Sydney, they still have to go to a place called Coober Pedy to meet the mysterious Mr. Smith (Marton Csokas) of whom they will hand over a mysterious small package. But the nosy Louis opens the package on the flight to Sydney which makes them utterly shocked of the content. And as you can guess, once they're in the sunny outback, Louis brings back again more trouble... Most especially when the bone-headed Louis wants to take a picture of him and a dead kangaroo which had been road-killed with their jeep. It turns out, it ain't no dead roo!

All of a sudden the kangaroo hops back to the off-road/deeper territory of outback, leaving Louis and Charlie frantically chase after it with the jeep. This kangaroo-chasing is not for the sake of hunting but because that roo is wearing Louis' jacket with the important package from Salvatore kept inside the pocket!

Trying hard not to mess this assignment, Louis and Charlie even seeks help from a drunk veteran pilot, Blue (Bill Hunter) which they meet in Alice Springs and also from a hot American outback specialist/guide/activist named Jessie (Estella Warren). These best buddies are in for a big surprise on their journey to find the kangaroo but they are for even bigger surprise once they meet Mr. Smith...

Kangaroo Jack represents something refreshing in terms of location, type of enemy or its action scenes. Even though calling it refreshing may seem exaggerated but at least it gives us something un-ordinary. Profesionally speaking in terms of production-wise, Kangaroo Jack is obviously not a trial error project using small amount of money. Since it is clearly big-budgeted with estimated amount of $60,000,000! Thankfully the directing is good, the editing is neat, the pacing is steadily fast and always filled with something going on which leaves no room to feel bored, the soundtracks are good, and even the story is interesting. And Kangaroo Jack even has twist ending, but why doesn't Kangaroo Jack stand up above the rest? Or at least on par with other successful buddy movies? Simple... Because the comedy fails!

What is a comedy without the humor? That is what Kangaroo Jack is, a movie of zany outback adventure featuring Boomers (Australian for Kangaroo), Dingoes, Camels, and even Bilbies! It even has exciting action scenes of chasing a kangaroo by land, on foot, by air and in one scene there is even a dance scene performed by CGI Kangaroos! But that's it, this movie is fun to see because of the actions and because of beautiful cinematography taking use of outback landscape and scenery. Sigh... if only the comedy is present. The comedy may be present for some people, but it's the type of "laugh-at" and NOT "laugh-with". Maybe Kangaroo Jack is similar to Dude Where's My Car (2000).

I guess probably little Kids will enjoy Kangaroo Jack. At the time of this review, Indonesian kids are having a long holiday. So if you guys are parents and looking for a movie for the kids (LITTLE KIDS!) than give Kangaroo Jack a spin on your DVD player. But note that there is one sensual scene on the waterfall between Jessie and Charlie with Jessie's tanktop is almost see-through.