Plot: What’s it about?
Charlie Carbone (Jerry O’Connell) has been friends with Louis Booker (Anthony Anderson) since childhood, but trouble has often followed the two. Charlie is a simple hairdresser, while Louis wants to be in the music business, but after a strange turn of events, they find themselves in a much different line of work. As usual, Louis has a wild plan on how to get rich quick and this time, it involves a bunch of televisions, which might be stolen. As the two transport the televisions, a chase begins when the police run the truck’s plates, which just like the televisions inside, happens to be stolen. The chase lands them in a warehouse owned by Charlie’s stepfather Sal (Christopher Walken), but they manage to get off the hook. Sal happens to be a mobster and in a gesture of kindness, he offers the two a chance to get back in his good graces and this time, there’s minimal chance for mistakes. The two simply have to take a large sum of cash from Sal, travel to Australia, and deliver the cash to the proper folks. Seems simple enough, so the two venture Down Under, where a real adventure is about to unfold. As they drive down a rugged path, the pair hits a kangaroo and Charlie is heartbroken. Louis insists they take some pictures with the marsupial, even putting his coat on the beast for the shots. But that jacket contains the mob’s money, so when the kangaroo hops off, Charlie and Louis are back in hot water again!
I have to admit, as stupid as the previews for this movie looked, I knew I would end up in a theater to watch Kangaroo Jack. I have a weakness for animal movies, though of course, most recent efforts have been quite terrible. The kangaroo in the title role isn’t a real one however, instead Jack is a computer generated special effect. And in an odd, but not unexpected twist, Kangaroo Jack has minimal screen time in this picture. No, he isn’t the main character, instead we follow some human actors through most of the duration. I mean, that kind of sucks, since the kangaroo is plastered all over the promotional materials and such, so kids must have expected the damn marsupial to have more than a passing role in the movie. I still didn’t hate Kangaroo Jack, but the lack of kangaroo screen time was a let down. Estella Warren is a pleasure to watch, while Jerry O’Connell and Anthony Anderson provide some decent comic moments. A lot of the jokes fall flat, but that’s to be expected in a flick aimed at a child’s sense of humor. By the same token, a lot of the gags pan out and some decent laughs can be had here. Warner’s disc is well handled also, with solid audio & video and a nice selection of supplements. So while you could do better, Kangaroo Jack is worth a rental if you need a family friendly release.
Her male costars have most of the screen time and most of the gags, but I still think Estella Warren deserves a mention. Of course, having such a gorgeous woman on screen adds a lot of appeal to any picture, but Warren has more than good looks. And since this is a family oriented project, her sexuality isn’t put on showcase, though she is often highlighted by the camera, perhaps a nod to the dads in the audience. But her performance here is quite good, given the nature of the material involved and such. I mean, she couldn’t turn in an award level effort in Kangaroo Jack, but then again, neither could anyone else. Her skills as an actress are solid, which is impressive since her career started only two years before the release of this picture. Warren had only worked on four movies prior to Kangaroo Jack, though her experience as a model must have given her experience for being in front of the cameras. Other films with Warren include Planet of the Apes, The Cooler, Nomad: The Two Worlds, Perfume, and Driven. The cast also includes Jerry O’Connell (Jerry Maguire, Mission to Mars), Anthony Anderson (Romeo Must Die, Big Momma’s House), and Christopher Walken (The Dead Zone, True Romance).
Video: How does it look?
Kangaroo Jack is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a good overall visual presentation, but it has more flaws than most brand new releases. I saw instances of edge enhancement and halos, which spells bad news for viewers with large screens, but these defects are never too serious. The other issue is black levels, which seem to vary in some scenes and of course, that means inconsistent contrast throughout. I found the black levels in most scenes to be solid however, so its not too bad. The print is in perfect condition though, so no marks, nicks, or grain can be seen. The colors are also well presented, with rich and vivid hues that stream across the screen, as well as natural flesh tones at all times. This is by no means a flawless visual effort, but in the end, it provides amore than solid presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
A Dolby Digital 5.1 option is found here, but the audio remains in the front channels most of the time, even to a fault. So much of the audio content is pushed to the front, the speakers sometimes seem overloaded and that detracts from the experience. Some elements, such as the music, come off as brash and overly loud, which drowns out other sections of the audio. So some sound effects and dialogue wind up lost in the equation, which isn’t good news. I didn’t hear much presence in the surrounds, but some activity is found in the rear channels, though as I said, this mix is based in the fronts most of the time. The dialogue is sometimes hard to hear because of the loud music, but in most scenes, the vocals are clean and crisp. A little more work to even this out and it might have been a much better soundtrack. This disc also includes Spanish and French language tracks, as well as subtitles in English, French, and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
If you want the real inside scoop on this flick, who better to listen to than the star of the project, Kangaroo Jack himself? While his audio commentary track runs only over his own scenes, its kind of novel to hear his thoughts. A second commentary offers more substance, as director David McNally, visual effects supervisor Hoyt Yeatman, and stars Jerry O’Connell, Estella Warren, and Anthony Anderson discuss the movie. While still not all that interesting, this track does offer some moments of entertainment, but in the end, it is just another overly promotional session. This disc also includes a blooper reel, a collection of four behind the scenes featurettes, talent files, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
