Boris and Natasha

I didn't even know this existed until it popped up on cable TV. Had to give it a look, and it's got its moments, but is vastly outclassed by 2000's "Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle" with Jason Alexander and Renee Russo. At the very least, more effort could have been put into making the principals resemble the cartoon originals with makeup and hairstyling. Note Sally Kellerman as executive producer-- she bankrolled this production. Corey Burton's Narrator doesn't sound as much like the original Narrator, William Conrad, as the 2000 film's Narrator, Keith Scott, who also voiced Bullwinkle and other characters in that production. But what the heck, enjoy what works and ignore the rest.

Before getting into this movie, I have to confess something: I have only seen a few minutes of one episode of the Rocky and Bullwinkle show in my life, and the few minutes that I saw didn't involve the Boris and Natasha characters. So I can't say how closely this live action movie captures the spirit of the animated show. But I can say that I was bored for the most part by this movie. The biggest problem with the movie is that it's not very funny. Oh, there were a few moments that made me smile a little, but for the most part the humor is lame and unimaginative. The script certainly suffers for not being funny, but there are other problems with it. There isn't much of a plot here, for one thing, leading to a lot of padding. Another problem is that the screenplay doesn't flesh out its lead characters very well - when the two are given their mission and start out on it, we hardly have been given any character development at all. This may explain why actors Dave Thomas and Sally Kellerman seem to be phoning in their performances. In fact, all of the cast seem to be treating this acting job in a half- hearted manner. The icing on the cake is the often cheapjack feeling to the enterprise - it obviously didn't have a substantial budget. It's no wonder the movie was shelved for four years before being released straight to video and cable TV.

Personally, I can't figure out why they made a movie with Rocky and Bullwinkle's nemeses as the main characters. But either way, from what I heard about the Rocky and Bullwinkle movie, "Boris and Natasha" has to be better. Featuring the Eastern European agents getting sent to America to find a time-reversing device, it's a little weird but does elicit a few laughs. Still, I don't think that this is really going to do anything for Sally Kellerman's or Dave Thomas's careers (yes, Hot Lips and Doug McKenzie play the baddest Cold War spies whom the world has ever known). I would recommend sticking with the original TV show.

Also starring Andrea Martin, Alex Rocco, John Candy, June Foray in a brief appearance, and even John Travolta as himself.

Let me start off by saying I'm a fan of the old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon, especially the ones with Boris and Natasha, so I was very excited when I heard that a Rocky and Bullwinkle related movie was finally getting made. The movie lived up to my expectations. Sure, it had a lot of jokes that didn't work and it is not as good as THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE (the other R&B movie which was made eight year later), but it is still fun stuff. The movie has the heart and flat humor as the classic TV show did, making it worth watching for fans of the series. Highlights include the Agent X scenes and any time the narrator is speaking (gotta love that voice). **1/2

I would guess this film would bring smiles to those 12 and older. Natasha Looks like the Bullwinkle and Rocky Natasha. Boris is not fat enough to remind me of the Bullwinkle and Rocky Boris. Fearless Leader is close to the Bullwinkle and Rocky Fearless Leader. This film is silly, but it is supposed to be silly. After all, true to character, Boris and Natasha are silly. The film does maintain comic book character. This would be a great film for teen parties and slumber parties. It is not a great film nor is it bad. It will leave you with a tickle/giggle. After all, that is its purpose. No hard thinking here. Loved John Candy here; loved his hair (could not believe the hair). Bring the pizza. Bring the soda. Let's get ready for a silly movie. Four thumbs.