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The Dukes of Hazzard
According to the joke, you might be a redneck if your idea of high-quality entertainment is a six-pack and a bug-zapper. Actually I like beer and my new favourite toy is an instrument shaped like a squash racket which electrocutes mosquitoes, so you can draw your own conclusions. Heck, for about 30 seconds there I thought I might even sit back and enjoy The Dukes of Hazzard movie. But even a redneck has some standards. In case you missed the TV show back in the day - or the Jessica Simpson video - the Dukes are cousins Bo and Luke (Seann William Scott and Johnny Knoxville), Daisy (la Simpson), and uncle Jesse (Willie Nelson), who operates an illegal moonshine business in Hazzard county under the nose of the ornery Boss Hogg (Burt Reynolds). Mostly the boys get into scrapes, relying on their souped up Dodge Charger, the General Lee; Daisy's charms; and the incompetence of local law enforcement to stay out of jail. 
There isn't any more plot to the movie than there was to a typical TV episode, and there's no more point either. Inspired by the popularity of Burt Reynolds' Smokey and the Bandit movies, the show was basically an excuse to hang a series of car stunts together spiced up with cut-off hotpants and bikini tops. Young teens desperately needed that at the time. Nowadays they get it interactive on their video games. Director Jay Chandrasekhar and his screenwriters don't address changing social attitudes at all - they seem unsure whether to laugh at the yee-haws or with them (a gag about the rebel flag on the General Lee is an exception). Maybe they're right: auto derbies never go out of style. But it's quite clear that neither Seann William Scott nor Johnny Knoxville are entirely comfortable in their roles - neither is known for Cary Grant like sophistication, but they are way too ironic for Bo and Luke. Their verbal references are too knowing (Keyser Soze?) and even their body language feels too urban. 
As for Jessica Simpson, she's curvaceous all right, but what's with the kohl eyes? Daisy must spend half the day putting her make up on. Mind, the filmmakers can't think of anything better for her to do, The only actor who really seems at home is Lynda Carter - yup, TV's Wonder Woman - who carries off a small supporting role with relaxed aplomb and at 54 has aged with rare grace. Too bad she and Willie Nelson couldn't sneak off together and make a real film, not this sloppy rehash way past its sell-by date. Tom Charity 
More information about The Dukes of Hazzard » Critics' ReviewsEntertainment Weekly As a movie, THE DUKES OF HAZZARD is more fun than it has any right to be....The cars chases are blissful celebrations of movement and flight... Time Out Theres a moment in this latest ramshackle rehash of a vintage TV show when our heroes are baffled. While... read more on www.timeout.com Maxim A high octane, revved up southern fried good time...Seann William Scott is hilarious Members' ReviewsReviews Voted Most HelpfulMost Recent Reviews |