Before
the Rocky and Bullwinkle movie, we got this live action spin-off featuring the
two nitwit Pottsylvanian spies. Since it
never got a theatrical release and pretty much fell off the face of the earth
after premiering on Showtime, my expectations were lower than slug shit. As it turns out it’s fairly clever and
contains a few genuine laughs.
Boris
(Dave Thomas) and Natasha (Sally Kellerman) defect to America. Really, they’re unwitting decoys for the real
agents who are out to steal a microchip that can turn back time. Along the way, Natasha becomes a fashion model
and Boris has to come to grips with his feelings for her.
The
plot is somewhat similar to Spies Like Us (which is fitting since Thomas wrote
that flick). Thomas, it must be said, is
a bit miscast. He doesn’t go all in with
the accent and seems much more dapper than the cartoon Boris ever was. Kellerman is a lot of fun though. She is clearly having a blast and really gets
to cut loose.
The
funniest part is the narration, which is done in the same style of the old
show. Not only does the narrator steal
the movie, he helps keep the spirit of the Rocky and Bullwinkle show
intact. Too bad the budget was too low
to prevent the real moose and squirrel from making proper cameos. Most of this is silly, and it’s occasionally
downright dumb, but there are some insane cameos here (especially Kellerman’s “date”)
that add to the fun.
It
all kind of falls apart by the end, but I guess that was to be expected. Director Charles Martin (Trick or Treat)
Smith’s style is a bit too flat. I guess
that is due in part with the low budget.
However, there’s enough bright spots here to make it recommended as a
curiosity piece.
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