Like reheated leftovers, CROCODILE DUNDEE IN LOS ANGELES, the third and
hopefully last in the series, has little spice left. There are a few mildly
humorous moments, but you've seen it all before. Paul Hogan's
fish-out-of-water story was funny the first time out but already tired by
its second outing. In its defense, this third episode is at least harmless
family fare that just barely earns its PG-rating. You can take your little
ones without concern. "No worries," as Crocodile Dundee would say.
Starting and ending in Australia's Walkabout Creek -- population 20 -- the
movie lets us observe lots of flora and fauna, especially the colorful
fauna. But we quickly leave the outback so that our hero, Mick 'Crocodile'
Dundee (Hogan), his long-time live-in girlfriend, Sue Charlton (Linda
Kozlowski), and their son can head off for the wilds of Los Angeles, where
some really strange creatures live. The best of these is a guy at a bar
(George Hamilton) who recommends a coffee enema as a better regimen for the
body than health foods. "It's L.A.," the bartender offers in explanation to
a dumbstruck Dundee.
Hogan is a likable bloke with dark-tanned, crocodile skin. The intense
Australian sun has added a lot of wrinkles since we saw him last. In
contrast, blonde, fair-skinned Kozlowski looks like she stays inside, away
from the ultraviolet rays. Only an extra 30 pounds or so and some natural
aging have changed her.
No Dundee movie would be complete without several knife jokes. The best
this time comes when they take the Paramount studio tour. When their tram
is "attacked" by a giant anaconda, Dundee sticks his big pocket knife right
through the beast's large, mechanical head.
The story's minimal plot concerns a money-losing movie studio that keeps
making lamer and lamer sequels of a film (LETHAL AGENT). How's that for far
fetched?
CROCODILE DUNDEE IN LOS ANGELES runs 1:35. It is rated PG for some language
and brief violence and would be acceptable for all ages.
My son Jeffrey, age 12, gave it ** 1/2, saying that he liked it but that
there weren't any high points or low points. ("Mediocre" isn't in his
vocabulary yet.)
Copyright © 2001 Steve Rhodes
