ElMaruecan82
There's one thing the lyrics get right: The Flintstones are the modern stone age family, "modern" underlined.Indeed, the iconic family from the town of Bedrock set all the standards of TV sitcoms decades before "The Simpsons". Fred Flintstone, originally a variation of Jackie Gleason in "The Honeymooners" became the staple of all TV everyday American fathers, big-sized, big-hearted but of average intelligence guys who drink beer, go bowling buddies and of course, make us laugh.Speaking of big and jovial, remember that bus scene in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" where Steve Martin who was playing a stuck-up and sinister businessman was asked to pick a song. His choice was rather uninspired as "Three Coins in the Fountain" only garnered awkward silences... until John Candy caught up by singing the "Flintstones" theme and the whole bus sang in unison, and you could even hear the iconic "Wilma!" at the end. That's how popular the show was to a whole generation of adults and kids in 1987... and I could have picked another example such as "The Simpsons" hilarious parody in the "Monorail" episode, if it wasn't for Fred, there would be no Homers.Technically and visually, "The Flintstones" wasn't exactly a landmark of animation but it was a game-changer because as a cartoon with the appeal of a TV series and whose years of re-runs consolidated the legacy. People enjoyed the plots as well as the animation, maybe more. Personally, I've never been a fan of Hanna-Barbera 60s/70s cartoons but "The Flintstones" (and to a lesser degree, "The Jetsons") is one of the rare peaks of animation reached at a time where minimalist UPA and TV politics had killed off all the charm and visual quality inherited from the Golden Age. So in the early 90s, everyone had grown up with the TV program and would mostly associate prehistoric times with funny people dressed in cavemen's clothes, driving cars with their feet and having dinosaurs or animals as pets or household objects.The cartoon's secret was to have all these elements used as peripheral gags or props to establish the environment while the episodes, as I remember ,were consistent enough to sustain a half-an-hour format and mature enough to attract adult audiences. I was often surprised by the show's length but I guess that's the reason why it was the last one aired on Cartoon Network before the torch was passed to TNT. That mix of cartoony elements and adult-related themes made it a fitting transition. And this is why I believe the movie adaptation does justice to the cartoon because the central character is the everyday man caught up in situations adults can relate to, bonding with friends, being promoted, handling a sexy secretary and spiteful mother-in-law etc.
Roger Ebert praised the visuals but criticized the plot, a Razzie-nominated screenplay with as many writers as extras in "Gandhi". Okay, it might not be the script of the year but I don't know what he exactly expected as a more kid-oriented family film. Surely dealing with aptitude tests, mechanization, adultery and adoption isn't exactly the themes children expect in an animated movie, but first of all, most fans were all grown-ups and secondly, the film contains so much slapstick and visual delights that I can't imagine kids yawning in the theater. The balance doesn't always work and there are many overly dark and sexy moment t but Ebert's criticism echoed a similar complaint he had about "The Lion King" which was too dramatic for children and dealt with Shakespearian themes such as succession, tribalism and honor that might get over the heads of the little ones. But now, it's regarded as a classic, and given how many cartoons patronize children with their marketing-oriented themes, "The Flintstones" has aged unexpectedly well. Sure, we're all blasé about live-action remakes but it wasn't yet a trend in the 90s and CGI effects were still getting warm with "The Mask" or "Jurassic Park". For all its computer imagery, the film strikes for its great practical effects, a rock can look phony but never fake. And there's John Goodman's performance carrying the film like a huge boulder and he's so good I can't believe he was snubbed by the Golden Globes. If Jim Carrey is nominated for "The Mask", there's no reason to overlook Goodman who doesn't impersonate a cartoon character but appropriate him so well that we can't separate between the two. He's over the top enough to remind us of Fred but human enough to fit a live-action format. Rick Moranis is perfect as Barney Rubble, his long-suffering friend, and Elizabeth Perkins does a goof job as Wilma. Kyle McLachlan and Halle Berry plays the villainous scheming duo and you can tell how much fun they had playing their roles, as Berry points it out, she was bad, but she was so good at it.The real problem was the casting of Rosie O'Donnell and I feel almost guilty because apart from her look, her performance didn't ruin the film. The problem is that Betty Rubble's beauty is as much a defining trait as Fred's orange suit, Rosie O'Donnell isn't ugly but isn't exactly the first beauty to come to your mind. It was distracting and became one of the most notorious cases of miscasting. Another misfire was the unnecessary kidnapping of the children, till now, the scream of Little Pebbles in that wagon seems out of place. Apart from that, the film was good enough to garner more awards, it was overdue a special effects Oscar nomination or set-designs. As for the critics who thought kids wouldn't actually understand or enjoy the plot, I guess the plot of the film itself teaches a good lesson to those who're too eager to underestimate one's lack of intelligence. The film is certainly not flawless, but it's entertaining, fun and aged better than expected. And who can resist to the sight of Liz Taylor forming a Konga line with a caveman and a pet-dinosaur?
kristineannlohman
It's great if you want it to watch it, yes. If you have Mono and are laying around all day and if you just went to the doctor like I did.
Number one, It's very funny. Second of all, you can kind of see fake history. Third of all you can say whatever you want. But forth of all...overall... it's awesome.One thing I liked is that is that... just everything.
There's nothing that's bad.
Davis P
This live action version of the classic animated TV show is fun and family friendly overall. It's kind of like Scooby Doo (2002) in the way that it's not G rated, it's got some adult references, especially involving Berry's character. But the references really aren't explicit and I still think that all families will really enjoy this film. The casting for all the roles is just perfect. John Goodman is a great choice for Fred. Rosie O'Donnell is great as Betty. I loved Elizabeth Perkins in the role of Wilma. And Rick Moranis is a very good Barney. And of course we can't leave out the great late Elizabeth Taylor who plays Wilma's mother. The script is very much like other live action versions of TV shows, it involves a greedy villain who's after nothing but money. I really like Halle Berry in her seductive secretary/bad guy role. The visuals are done well, the shots are all very true to the original show. Adults may enjoy this and I still enjoy watching it, but a family setting is probably the best audience for this movie. It's just good fun, nothing that great or Oscar winning, but it'll make a fairly fun movie night. 7/10.
capone666
The FlintstonesContrary to popular belief, the Paleo Diet is more than consuming a bottle of Flintstone vitamins for every meal.Thankfully, this comedy will give dieters greater insight into what cave-people ate.When blue-collar Fred (John Goodman) is accused of embezzling by his boss (Kyle MacLachlan) and his assistant (Halle Berry), he's not only in trouble with the law, but also his wife (Elizabeth Perkins) and mother-in-law (Elizabeth Taylor).Meanwhile, his neighbors Barney (Rick Moranis) and Betty (Rosie O'Donnell) hope to adopt a cave-boy with Fred's financial help.While it does an adequate job of mimicking its inspiration for loyalists, this tepid 1994 live- action adaption of the 1960s primetime cartoon does an inadequate job of updating Fred's dilemmas to appeal to younger fans unfamiliar with his stone-age antics.That's because kids today cannot relate to when prehistoric birds had to etch your dick pic onto slate before you could text it.Yellow Lightvidiotreviews.blogspot.ca
