Mr. Crocodile Dundee

Paul Hogan's original tailor-made 'fish out of water' flick became a massive hit in 1986 and still remains a warm, amusing and irresistibly enjoyable. In terms of plot, its simpler than simple - American reporter Linda Kozlowski is sent to Australia to investigate the legendary 'Crocodile' Dundee (Hogan) and ends up bringing the charming rogue back to the Big Apple. It's a winner in every sense from Hogan's wonderfully laid-back performance to his own screenplay, featuring an array of classic quips and moments. Peter Best's excellent musical score also deserves applause in helping to ensure that this film remains great, exciting and still novel entertainment almost two decades on.

As well as being loaded with every satisfying cross-cultural gag you would hope for, Crocodile Dundee also contains many heartwarming messages about what's important in life.

Also, having lived in Australia for the last decade, I can confirm that Paul Hogan's character is more fact than fiction and that bushtucker grub does indeed taste like s**t.

Crocodile Dundee - 4/5 stars

A Film Review by John Ulmer

"Crocodile Dundee" is one of those Fish Out of the Water tales; the innocent outsider thrown into the frustrations of modern life. Or is it the Croc out of the Water? Whatever it is, it's one of the best of its genre.

"Crocodile Dundee" is about a newspaper journalist (Linda Kozlowski) who travels out to the Outback, where she meets with Mick Dundee, better known as "Crocodile" Dundee. After wandering around in the Outback for a few days with Mick, writing her little story about surviving in the Outback, she decides that it would be interesting for her (or her newspaper?) to bring Mick back to New York City, where she lives. Mick reluctantly agrees, and travels to New York City clad in his croc-skin vest and Australian hat. Now Mick will have to adjust to modern life if he wishes to survive in New York.

"Crocodile Dundee" is, in a way, very typical of its kind. For example: Mick walks off the plane to NYC and steps onto an escalator, dressed in his Australian attire. Now, no matter how innocent and inexperienced a guy is, you can't tell me he's not going to realize he looks a bit odd in his clothes. The first thing I'd do is try to change to fit in better. But, you see, this is half the fun of this films, and all Fish Out of the Water films for that matter. If the main character did adapt straight away to his new surroundings, not only would it make for an awfully boring tale, but it would not be a proper Fish Out of the Water film.

Not only is Paul Hogan completely convincing in his role as Mick Dundee, he is utterly likable from the start. He's a nice, innocent Outback man who learns what the fast life is like, yet sticks to his old ways. As we can see from the less-successful sequels, Mick never really adapts to his surroundings. He learns how to survive, but he never buys fancy clothes or such: he sticks with his croc-vest and hat.

While "Crocodile Dundee" isn't exactly a great comedy, it's one of those that can be remembered for being very funny, and it is easy to watch. It has a certain charm to it, like many of those eighties' comedies. It makes it hard to hate them. Just yesterday I wrote a review for "Opportunity Knocks" with Dana Carvey. That movie wasn't great, but it's hard to dislike it. While "Crocodile Dundee" is about ten times greater than "Opportunity Knocks," it still isn't an excellent comedy. But because of its likable charm and great sense of humor, it's definitely one to see and watch many, many times.

There have been a lot of these kinds of films: "Blast From the Past," "Bubble Boy," to name a few recent of the genre. But "Crocodile Dundee" ranks as one of the best of its kind.

4/5 stars -

John Ulmer

When you think of memorable 1980's comedies, this one that might come to mind to mind. Revolving around a very colorful, witty and worry-free Australian crocodile poacher(Paul Hogan), it is a feel-good movie filled with many laughs and and witty one-liners.

It offers many laughs in the way of culture shock to both the reporter and Dundee himself. Giving not only a glimpse at culture in the outback, but also in bustling Manhattan. Dundee's innocence of adapting to the fast lifestyle of New York is a formula for laughter.

Paul Hogan plays a highly likable character, playing off of Linda Kozlowski perfectly, their chemistry is a major contributor to the overall success of this movie. It is filled with scenes of action and comedy, framed into a film that will make you laugh and feel good.

7/10

Everyone knows the story by now: a New York reporter travels to Australia to write a story about Mick "Crocodile" Dundee, a down under wild man who returns to New York with the reporter. Very 80s, but still very funny, even 15 years later (the armed kangaroo scene is hillarious no matter how many times I see it). Well paced and well done. 7 out of 10.