The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee

Being a long time Paul Hogan fan it was great to see him back in top form. The pokes and jabs at the Hollywood system are fun and playful when watching someone in his 80s roll his eyes at a community that is self obsessed, materialistic and clutching to keep itself alive and relevent. However for all the moments where Hoges shines, it's the woeful co-stars, particularly that of his manager, that make it so cringe worthy. Some terrible acting, terrible green screen work and strange editing make this go from a possible 8 to a so-so six.

Thank you Hoges - this one isnt your fault.

Okay, Hoges is 80 now so those expecting him to be as funny in his heyday is expecting too much. That being said, this movie is still very funny because he plays the situations he's placed in well and, frankly, he's still got it in my opinion. Whoever wrote and directed this deserve praise too. Some probably don't like that the current politics is played for laughs but its hardly something that hasn't been done before, the random person the goofball stuffing up and being falsely accused, and becoming a social pariah. I laughed a lot so that's the main thing.

Lots of humor at Paul's expense, cool cameos and many of the jokes are well-written and effective. I liked it. John Cleese is especially hilarious.

I think more than anything else, it was a well deserved stab at the media. Both regular and social. About how something so simple, a simple mistake can be taken well out of context for a headline and engaging in schadenfreude with the outcome.

That said, it was fun. I enjoyed it. It was pretty funny at times, a bit corny at times, all too real at times. There are many more higher budgeted movies that aren't half as good. The movie is a pleasant way to spend an hour and a half with the family of an evening.

I give it 7 stars because it's not awards material. It's just good family fun.

After seeing so many scathing reviews I decided to watch it anyway. In covid times this movie provides light relief and a chuckle here and there. I do forgive the short comings of the film. Paul Hogan portrays a sense of sadness which revolves around the aging process and that gives the film some merit and a few bitter sweet humorous moments. Like the weaker of the Marx Brothers movies the world is a better place that they exist rather than not.