Crocodile Dundee (film series)

CROCODILE DUNDEE (15)
D: Peter Faiman
Paramount/Rimfire (John Cornell)
Australia 🇦🇺 1986
102 mins
 
Comedy/Adventure
 
W: Paul Hogan, Ken Shadie & John Cornell
DP: Russell Boyd
Ed: David Stiven
Mus: Peter Best
 
Paul Hogan (Michael J. 'Crocodile' Dundee), Linda Kozlowski (Sue Charlton), John Meillon (Wally Reilly), Mark Blum (Richard Mason), Michael Lombard (Sam Charlton), David Gulpilil (Neville Bell), Irving Metzman (Doorman), Reginald Veljohnson (Gus)
 
A New York journalist travels to the Australian outback to write an article on a crocodile hunter and takes him back to the big city to close the story, his first ever trip out of the bush.
A Tarzan-esque spin on a fish out of water tale, with several hilarious moments and a sweet romance blossoming between the two main characters.  It doesn't have great originality, but it's very well scripted with some very memorable dialogue and the finale is one of the best endings to any film of 1980's, winning the hearts of even the most stone-hearted audience.
The film seemed to be coincide with a general public obsession with everything Australian, going on to become one of the biggest box office hits of 1986.
8/10
  
Paul Hogan in Crocodile Dundee
Paul Hogan in Crocodile Dundee
CROCODILE DUNDEE II (PG)
D: John Cornell
Paramount/Rimfire (John Cornell & Jane Scott)
Australia/USA 🇦🇺 🇺🇸 1988
111 mins
 
Comedy/Adventure
 
W: Paul Hogan & Brett Hogan
DP: Russell Boyd
Ed: David Stiven
Mus: Peter Best
 
Paul Hogan (Michael J. 'Crocodile' Dundee), Linda Kozlowski (Sue Charlton), John Meillon (Walter Reilly), Hechter Ubarry (Luis Rico), Juan Fernandez (Miguel), Charles Dutton (Leroy Brown)
 
A cash-grab sequel which sheds most of the fish out of water formula in favour of a corny kidnapping story, with journalist Sue Charlton held to ransom by a drug dealer over incriminating photographs taken by her former colleague & partner.
The humour doesn't match that from the first movie, but as far as sequels go this certainly isn't terrible and is quite fun, especially if you're a fan of the first movie and the title character. 
Aimed at a much younger audience for it's Tarzan-like hero, and though it is incredibly silly, it does provoke a smile or two, even if you have to remove your brain to really appreciate it. 
6/10

Paul Hogan in Crocodile Dundee II
Paul Hogan in Crocodile Dundee II
CROCODILE DUNDEE IN LOS ANGELES (PG)
D: Simon Wincer
Paramount/Silver Lion/Bangalow (Lance Hool & Paul Hogan)
USA/Australia 🇺🇸 🇦🇺 2001
105 mins
 
Comedy
 
W: Matthew Berry & Eric Abrams [based on characters created by Paul Hogan, Ken Shadie & John Cornell]
DP: David Burr
Ed: Terry Blythe
Mus: Basil Poledouris
 
Paul Hogan (Michael J. 'Crocodile' Dundee), Linda Kozlowski (Sue Charlton), Jere Burns (Arnan Rothman), Jonathan Banks (Milos Drubnik), Alec Wilson (Jacko), Mike Tyson (himself)
 
The term 'flogging a dead horse' comes very much to mind. 13 years after the previous film and 15 after the original, crocodile hunter Mick Dundee is now living in Los Angeles with his journalist girlfriend, Sue Charlton, and their young son. While Sue investigates a shady film producer, Mick finds work as a film extra, but when that doesn't work out as planned he becomes an animal trainer.
The character made famous in the 1980's is reduced to a cross between Doctor Dolittle and Tarzan. There's very little entertainment and even less humour for even the most ardent or nostalgic of fans. 
4/10

Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles
Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles
He’s back, whether he likes it or not
He’s back, whether he likes it or not

THE VERY EXCELLENT MR. DUNDEE (12)

D: Dean Murphy

Transmission / Clock Sounds / Piccadilly / Salt Media & Entertainment (Nigel Odell & Dean Murphy)

Australia/US 🇦🇺🇺🇸 2020

84 mins


Comedy


W: Robert Mond & Dean Murphy

DP: Roger Lanser

Ed: Peter Carrodus & Robert Mond

Mus: John Foreman


Paul Hogan (himself), Rachael Carpani (Angie), Jacob Elordi (Chase), Chevy Chase (himself), John Cleese (himself), Olivia Newton-John (herself), Reginald VelJohnson (himself)


A meta sequel-of-sorts to Crocodile Dundee, with Paul Hogan and the assorted cast playing fictionalised versions of themselves to poke fun at the fickleness of celebrity media and the insincerity of Hollywood.

Of course, that description is giving this embarrassingly unfunny comedy too much credit, as it’s little more than a swansong for Paul Hogan’s fading star.

With his popularity beyond waning, Hogan is approached by studio executives about a sequel to the Crocodile Dundee movies with Will Smith playing his son. Hogan’s criticism to the idea has him branded a racist, and as he tries to protest his innocence with a knighthood from the Queen on the horizon, he finds himself in increasingly deeper hot water thanks to the celebrity-obsessed news networks.

I get the point that the film is trying to make about celebrity journalism, but it’s done in such a poor way that lacks any satire or wit.

As a fan of the original Crocodile Dundee, I really wanted to like this, but I felt it was an embarrassment for all involved, full of forced jokes with punchlines which drag out for way too long (which I imagine was on purpose).

Far from excellent.

3/10


Paul Hogan in The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee
Paul Hogan in The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee