Crocodile Hunter

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amznwin.focus();} document.open(); document.write("<a href=javascript:popUp('http://buybox.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=reelmoviecriticc&link_code=xsc&creative=23424&camp=2025&path=/dt/assoc/tg/aa/xml/assoc/-/B00006SFKN/reelmoviecriticc/ref=ac_bb1_,_amazon')><img src=http://rcm-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/associates/remote-buy-box/buy1.gif border=0 alt='Buy from Amazon.com' ></a>"); document.close(); </script> <noscript> <form method="POST" action="http://buybox.amazon.com/o/dt/assoc/handle-buy-box=B00006SFKN"> <input type="hidden" name="asin.B00006SFKN" value="1"> <input type="hidden" name="tag-value" value="reelmoviecriticc"> <input type="hidden" name="tag_value" value="reelmoviecriticc"> <input type="image" name="submit.add-to-cart" value="Buy from Amazon.com" border="0" alt="Buy from Amazon.com" src="http://rcm-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/associates/add-to-cart.gif"> </form> </noscript>  </B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="579" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 ><NOBR><div> <B>The Crocodile Hunter…Collision Course </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Wingdings 2" ><B>êêê</B></FONT><B>  </B> (PG) </div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Reviewed by George O. Singleton </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="575" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="575"><div> <B>Every living being has value </B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="580" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Steve Irwin: Himself</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Terri Irwin: Herself</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Archer: Lachy Hulme</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Wheeler: Kenneth Ransom</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Jo: Kate Beahan</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Sam: David Wenham</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> Brozzie: Magda Szubanksi</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Director: John Stainton</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>Bottom Line:</B>  </div> <div> Comedy of errors chase film, initiated because the CIA suspects wildlife crusaders of being spies who steal a data recorder that fell from space when a spy satellite self-destructs. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Story Line:</B> </div> <div> The tone for "Crocodile Hunter" is set before the opening credits roll, when the head of the roaring lion in the MGM film logo is replaced by a menacing growling crocodile. This is not your average silly movie with a no-brainer plot and special effects that are there only for entertainment. Real life wildlife crusaders Steve & Terri Irwin (known to millions because of their TV show) incorporate humorous documentary footage about the importance of nature and the animals that humans too often don't try to coexist with. </div> <bR> <div> Steve and Terri are a husband and wife team that manages a zoo in Australia. They have a passion for preserving all forms of wildlife. To prevent local rancher Brozzie (Magda Szubanksi) from killing crocodiles that eat her livestock, the Irwins show us real life footage of how they </div> <bR> <div> capture a crocodile, to be relocated up river, far away from the ranch. This is done at night because the eyes of the crocodile are easy to spot with a flashlight. Steve literally jumps into the water and wrestles the crocodile to the boat while Terri does a rodeo rope maneuver to secure the animal's jaws and pull him into the boat. He is then placed in a coffin-like box and driven to a remote area and released. There is no tranquilizer gun so the trauma to the animal is minimized. Even the sometimes-jaded film critics watching this being done were oohing and ahhing at how awesome it was.</div> <bR> <div> The plot features two stories. First are snippets of Australian wildlife in documentary Discovery Channel-style footage. The other is disguised as a chase film, with the good guys going after those they think are the bad guys. </div> <bR> <div> When a satellite malfunctions and self-destructs, the data recorder crashes to the earth and lands in the Australian outback, where it is swallowed by the crocodile that Brozzie is trying to shoot and the Irwins are attempting to relocate. The CIA creates a ruse for agents Archer and Wheeler (Lachy Hulme & Kenneth Ransom) to travel to the area and retrieve the device. </div> <bR> <div> Meanwhile, Sam (David Wenham), a fish and wildlife deputy faces continuing menacing threats from Brozzie as each tries to protect their interest or pursue their "rights," however you perceive it. Down under undercover agent Jo (Kate Beahan) offers the comic relief, as the Irwins try to relocate wildlife with two different government intelligence agencies on their tails.</div> <bR> <div> The wildlife portions of the film feature the Irwins introducing us to various species. They track the Perentie, Australia's largest lizard and the third largest in the world. It can grow to over six feet in length. It's a carnivorous animal that feeds primarily on carrion, prey that is already dead. Steve even picks up animal droppings, examines them, tells you what he finds within the feces and puts it in his shirt pocket. This is less gross than movies with fart jokes, however. </div> <bR> <div> One bite from the Fierce Snake and you are a goner. The world's most venomous snake, it can kill more than 100 adult men or 10,000 mice.</div> <bR> <div> Kangaroos (Joeys) have their live born young crawl from the womb opening into the pouch and attach themselves to a nipple, where they remain for up to a year. When Kangaroos die as road kill, sometimes the baby will survive. </div> <bR> <div> Then there is the Bird Eating Spider and the King Brown Snake. We get up-close and personal with these members of the animal kingdom, and gain an appreciation for some creatures that we might tend to think as being good only if they are dead. The overall message here is entertaining and educational without being too preachy. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Tell me more:</B> </div> <div> While "Crocodile Hunter" takes a humorous look at some of our environmental issues, other recent releases take a more critical view. </div> <div> <B>"Hey Arnold! The Movie," </B>a film aimed at kids, nonetheless addresses the serious subject of balancing the needs of the people that live in the community and those of business developers. Most people would agree that a strong economy with people that have money is better than a weak one where everyone is poor and broke. </div> <bR> <div> Is there such a thing as an ugly snake? Is any animal evil (other than some humans)? What is the balance between man's need to destroy animals and the ability to provide new housing and businesses to support an ever-expanding population? These and more topics are touched upon in "Collision Course." In that film the solution to ranchers and developers is to either kill animals on "their" land or move them "up the river."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> A current film directed toward adults that speaks directly to this subject, with an added perspective on nature, is <I><B>"Sunshine State"</B></I> by director John Sayles. There are two key lines in that film, which also apply here. One is "nature is overrated" and the other is "you'll miss it when it's gone."</div> <bR> <div> It's important for both children and adults to understand that there is a purpose for every living creature, and that while many creatures in nature are often savage and destructive, even cannibalistic, it is always done with a logical purpose when non-humans are involved. For animals, it is normally to survive. For humans, while it's often to survive, there is that twist, that quest, for things like quality of life, generation of wealth, classism, say to accommodate an ocean view from one's front window on a private beach, etc. The true issue of balance comes to a head when man's development is at the end of the river. Just what do we do then?</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="621" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> Rated PG for action violence/peril and mild language.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> George O. Singleton  © 2002</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> <A HREF="mailto:george@reelmoviecritic.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:george@reelmoviecritic.com"><U><U>George@reelmoviecritic.com</U></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>