Le Détonateur

I have been a fan of Nielsen's since I first saw Spy Hard when I was still a kid. Leslie Nielsen was perfect to play this role simply because he has the presence of a dramatic actor only making his actions funnier. Nielsen is perhaps one of the funniest comedic actors around, though his movies like this are criticized as though they were supposed to be some Oscar Nomminated hit or something. What those "drama critics" don't seem to understand is that all his comedy movies are PARODIES of dramatic movies. They're not supposed to be taken seriously. Niesen movies like this are just for a few yuks and laughs. I have always loved random comedy movies like this, therefore, I love this movie.

Leslie Nielsen basically stopped acting after making the Naked Gun movies. He starred in spoofs such as Spy Hard, A Space Travesty, Scary Movie 3 and this one, a spoof mainly of 'The Fugitive'.

Numerous other movies come along (such as The Usual Suspects, Braveheart, Titanic, Patriout Games and even Casablanca, it's a feast for anyone who's seen those movies. It all doesn't make much sense of course (as it shouldn't) but it's a fine evening filler I suppose.

Oh well, if you're into the spoofing category or have seen much of the movies being ridiculed in this one, it's definately a one to watch.

6/10.

Leslie Nielsen is truly the grandmaster of slapstick comedies. In the new film "Wrongfully Accused," Nielsen once more proves that he is capable of saving a bad spoof from being bad. In it, he releases his natural talent of comic genius into his character similar to the one from the magnificent movie "The Fugitive"(Harrison Ford) and, of course, makes us laugh up a storm.

Leslie Nielsen is surprisingly energetic in this film, more than usual. I mean, it's not like him to do some of the things he does in this production. Then again, this is not your typical Nielsen movie in any means. The plot is awfully serious for a slapstick and the characters are too complicated. In a drama movie these things are all signs of skill, but for a movie that just wants to have fun, these things are flaws. Nielsen saves the production by doing what he can with the script.

Another problem of the film is that it virtually strained for laughs, to the point of making the audience think before they laugh. For example, the accused murder walks into a town labeled "The Town That Has More Police Than Anywhere in the Whole Wide World."

There are some quickie jokes that do work, for instance: In a hospital, the intercom speaker says "Dr. Kavorkian to Mr. Simson's room." Or how about when Ryan looks over Lake's photo album under the family tree, the father has two branches, her dad and Bill Clinton. The funniest: When Harrison makes the jump from the dam, from "Fugitive" you here the title song from "Baywatch" and see a group of attractive young lifeguards race to site. The US marshals shoot machine guns at the criminals' feet making them do an Irish dance.

"Wrongfully Accused" is the summer's second spoof movie. First along came the lame "Mafia," which didn't work because there were no main characters. To have Leslie Nielsen on your team when you're making a spoof, that's an almost certain success even if the film on its own is bad, like this movie. In other words, if this movie was absent of him and was still released in theaters it should have been called "Wrongfully Released."

I read another reviewer's comments about Wrongfully Accused, and I am continually amazed at how many people judge movies like this as though they are meant to be serious cinematic endeavors. Leslie Nielsen's films, literally, are jokes, and if you can't take them that way then maybe it would be better if you didn't watch them. I only say this here rather than just to that reviewer because I think it's worth pointing out that, in case you couldn't already tell, this movie is a parody and is meant to be laughed at.

I am perfectly willing to admit that it is peppered with scenes that fall completely flat (the sex scene with the sports commentary in the background is a prime example) and much of Nielsen's acting is absolutely awful (also note that much of this is also a parody of similar bad acting in the movies that are being spoofed in this movie, such as The Fugitive and obviously some of the James Bond films), but again, you really need to keep in mind what kind of movie this is.

Besides, there are also plenty of truly hilarious scenes. I can't help cracking up at the train peeking around the rock at Nielsen as he tries to escape, or the scene where he bends down to get his foot out of the railroad tracks and is hit in the forehead by the crossing gate. This scene was also screwed up, because that crossing gate was down across the track rather than a road going over the tracks, and it stopped rising just above Nielsen's head. But who cares? Comedy is a surprise, if you just saw what was expected it wouldn't be funny!

I can't say that Wrongfully Accused promises a cerebral workout or any moving social commentary, but if you look at the cover of this movie and expect something like that, maybe you should stick to the kid's section at the video store, because you are probably a little out of your league. The rest of you should be able to find some things to laugh at in this movie. Just enjoy it for what it is, because there are really only two things that frost my butt, a snow cone about that high, and IMDb reviewers that can't take a good joke!

You do not go to see a Nielsen movie expecting anything else but a good laugh. You know that you will see a parody, based on one film, and a lot of references to other famous movies. The humor itself may get what they call rather low, but occasionally you will have a good laugh, and even some gags to remember. No social comments, no pretentions. This is exactly what this film is - an average level parody, with one memorable scene, and a few good other. Go in the right mood, do not expect too much, and you may enjoy it. 6/10 on my personal scale.