Running time: 89 minutes
Starring: Jerry O'Connell, Anthony Anderson, Estella Warren, Christopher Walken, Bill Hunter, Dyan Cannon, Marton Csokas, David Ngoombujarra
Rating 3 out of 10
CGI has a lot to answer for. Without it Jackie Legs, the star of Kangaroo Jack wouldn't have existed and, as a result, this half-baked fiasco down under would never have been made. And that would have been just fine by me, if not for my children.Charlie Carbone (O'Connell) is a hairdresser born into a tough world of gangsters. His stepfather Sal Maggio (Christopher Walken), is the local mob boss who constantly has his fingers in the till of his salon. Charlie, desperate for funds to break away from this intimidating atmosphere, recklessly agrees to help longtime friend Louis Booker (Anthony Anderson) to shift some hot TVs. The touble is Louis is an accident waiting to happen.
After accidentally luring the police to Sal's storage warehouse for stolen merchandise, Charlie and Louis are in hot water with the crime lord. As punishment, they're ordered to a remote corner of Australia, where they're supposed to deliver a cash-stuffed envelope to a mysterious Mr. Smith. Sal knows that the duo aren't up to the job and that the likelihood of them surviving the mission is zero.
On the way to deliver the cash they accidentally hit a kangaroo with their car. Seeing this as a 'unique photo op' they dress the 'roo in Louis' lucky red jacket and pose for the camera. Suddenly the kangaroo springs back to life hopping off into the bush, still wearing the jacket. Guess what is stuffed in one of the jacket pockets?
Charlie and Louis spend the rest of the movie trying to tie that kangaroo down and thereby retrieve the cash. The thing is, the battle of wills between our hapless 'heroes' and Lucky Legs is unfair - the 'roo is smarter all round.
OK so the story is lame, the acting hammy at best, but this is a film aimed at kids right?
If you have little ones that enjoy slapstick comedy and crease up at the sound of flatulent camels then there is much to amuse. The adults on the other hand, will spend the thankfully short 89 minutes wondering how Christopher Walken ever agreed to be involved with the project in the first place.
