Directed By: Ron Underwood
Written By: Neil Cuthbert
Cinematography By: Oliver Wood
Editor: Alan Heim & Paul Hirsch
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Rosario Dawson, Randy Quaid, Joe Pantoliano, James Rebhorn, Luis Guzman, Jay Mohr, Pam Grier, Illeana Douglas, Peter Boyle, Miguel A. Nunez Jr., Burt Young , John Cleese, Lilo Brancato
After his successful night club is blown to flaming bits, Pluto and his band travel across the moon looking for clues as to who is behind the arson. Along with Bruno and Dina, Pluto visits a seedy motel, his secret hide out and the casino of the most powerful man on the moon searching for the evil doer, only to find out that the destruction of his club may have been his own fault
First Of all I can't believe they spent $100 million on this film, though it sure doesn't look like it. All the effects and art design look cheesy and cheap.
In absolute terms, this movie made the largest financial loss of any movie to date, with a budget of $100 million and a total US gross of $4.41 million (total loss, $95.59 million).
The first sign that this movie had trouble was when before it started filming Jennifer Lopez dropped out of the lead role then her replacement Halle berry did who co-starred with Eddie in the hit movie BOOMERANG and has starred in some of the worst movies BAPS comes to mind. She said yes to GOTHIKA but no to this should have been a warning. Rosario Dawson eventually took the role Probably thinking this would be a break-out role for her or at least look good on her resume. It was pretty early in her career.
This movie was shelved for almost two years before it was released.
While this film reminds me of the high concept films of the 80's it still feels like a bad idea. It more or less feels like a script one writes to either sell to get representation or a bad sci-fi comedy novel.
The film fails to create a universe in of itself. It feels like strangely outdated even by the time it was released. It feels like a holdover from either the 80's or 90's
I am guessing this was a film everyone was hoping would be saved by Eddie Murphy's comic personea or at least a good amount of ab-libbing Would be entertaining enough and save the film.
The jokes play for adults but seem like kids would enjoy it more. It's a film that feels like it doesn't know what it wants to be. It's ridiculous so you can't take it seriously. It's not all that Funny, yet there are plenty of cameos to distract you.
The original script was written in 1985. A dozen other writers wrote treatments of it, but Neil Cuthbert was the only one credited. Which might explain why the film feels so haphazard and confused. While it seems like a story that fit more an 80’s high concept feel.
It's the Eddie Murphy of family films in what is supposed to be an Eddie Murphy adult comedy. The role more calls for an actor then a comedian even though those skills seem more on display here and help the movie along. Eddie can act, but this is a film that never should have been made.
People credit how bad HOWARD THE DUCK is and how huge a bomb it was, well this is he Howard the duck of a new millennium. It cost $100 million, but only made $6 million, yet I don't blame any of the cast.
I have seen them In better of course and know they are capable of better. Here it seems like it wasn't just a paycheck, like they were actually having fun and thought it might work. I am guessing that is the charisma of Eddie Murphy or the talent of director Ron Underwood.
I can't completely blame director Ron Underwood. He seems just as overwhelmed by this film with so much riding on it. It seems over or under his head while he is making it. It’s hard to believe this is the same man that made the Superior TREMORS. Maybe here the old adage is true, You’re only as good as the material you are working with.
The film feels oddly needy. The jokes seem tired and obvious. The film just isn't funny. It wouldn't surprise me if the script has been sitting around since the 80's. It certainly feels dated and probably wouldn't have been funny then when it was probably thought to be cutting edge stuff.
It's a film that feels like it was just put out to make a quick buck. They don't even show it on comedy central that much and they usually repeat some pretty bad stuff time to time.
Don't waste your time with his film
Grade: F
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