Hey folks, Harry here... My nephew has become a huge HERBIE fan since I showed him that big set of HERBIE classic films. It was kinda funny too. 3 years ago I had bought him a huge plush HERBIE volkswagon from the Disney Store. He never had a frame of reference for it, but when I put the first one on, he excitedly began jabbering that he owned Herbie and as a result was fascinated by films. I haven't shown him the trailer for the new one yet, but after reading Daffodil 11's review, I might... after all - she was right about BATMAN BEGINS, so maybe this new Herbie film will be fun. Here ya go...
Hi Harry,
So-called "plant" Daffodil 11 here with a view on the return of the white bug, HERBIE: FULLY LOADED.
After reading some of the feedback for the review I posted for BATMAN BEGINS and pissing myself laughing at some of the sub-text that was being read into what I wrote, I'll write this time in the most apparent way to avoid anyone getting too excited by something that's not meant to be (even though this time it is only a review for HERBIE).
OK, now to Disney's new franchise re-launch. Let me begin by saying that when I read the Mouse House was going to "re-invent" (surely now a dirty word for most people) the HERBIE series, I was less than excited. I figured we'd have some lumbering CGI thing that would surely talk, have big cute eyes, perhaps a wagging tail-pipe and destroy any sort of credibility that the, albeit quaint, original Herbie series still had. Something so ugly that it would be held up against such rubbish as the INSPECTOR GADGET movie or SCOOBY DOO, and compared poorly.
Instead, it would seem that someone at Disney has actually TRIED!
After starting out with some "archival" footage of HERBIE in action, as taken from the older films, we understand that Disney have cleverly not written off the original series and started afresh. Instead, after a fall from grace, Herbie has been abandoned and lies in a car-crushing lot. After some ordinary slap stick (toupee-wearing lot manager; CHECK! Herbie leeks oil onto guy's shoe, CHECK!) we move quickly to Maggie Peyton's (Lindsay Lohan) graduation and learn she is the daughter of Michael Keaton, rally-car racing team manager extraordinaire, and sister of Breckin Meyer, somewhat-floored rally-car driver.
As a graduation present, Keaton takes Lindsay to the car-lot so she can choose her first car before travelling with a friend to New York, presumably so they can hang with Paris, Paris and Ashton at some of-the-moment bar. Eventually, Lindsay choses Herbie and by way of a non-threatening, floppy haired, Keanu-channelling mechanic (Justin Long), gets him on the road.
Lindsay soon realizes that this is one magical car and before long is involved in a street race with villain of the piece Matt Dillon, a media-whore champion rally car driver complete with snivelling offsiders, which she of course wins. Of course, Keanu-clone and Lindsay manage to avoid Dillon finding out that it was actually a GIRL that won the race and pretend that they have a MALE mystery driver who can beat Dillon in a tired old VW Beetle.
From there the story takes the usually windy roads of romance, father/daughter conflict, rematches, face-offs against a monster truck, reveals that a girl can drive as well as a guy, disbelief that Herbie is actually alive before eventually getting to the final BIG RACE.
While the story can be described as "traditional", the appeal in this remake/re-invention lies in that Disney have not messed with the formula. Sure, Herbie can do things that he couldn't do in the old days due to the occasional use of CGI. But these new tricks are no more outlandish than what Herbie got up to in the old movies, such as driving along the outside ledge of a skyscraper. Here the CGI has been used to UP the excitement rather than simply rely upon it to provide the excitement.
Herbie is very much the same car he was in the old days except now his headlights and front bumper are allowed a little more flexibility so as he can "emote" more apparently. This is done with success most of the time, only seemingly failing when Herbie ceases to be "real" and becomes CGI.
Lindsay is highly appealing, building on strengths she honed so well in MEAN GIRLS (surely the CLUELESS of this decade) and FREAKY FRIDAY, where I personally felt she matched Jamie Lee's performance. Despite all the noise made about Lohan in the tabloid press, it would seem she knows exactly how to service her audience, whatever age they may be.
The supporting cast is likable but sometimes struggle for something to do. Cheryl Hines shows up in a small role and manages to bring to the big-screen the sunniness that somehow allows her to shrug off TV-husband Larry David's antics in CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM. Dillon is easily detestable, recalling his character from SOMETHING ABOUT MARY, while Keaton shows he is far more suited to supporting roles such as these in this day and age, thankfully ending any speculation in my mind that he's in-line for a comeback after the surprise success of WHITE NOISE. Justin Long, still memorable for his turn in GALAXY QUEST, is cute as the love interest but, borrowing from the Hillary Duff "when casting a co-star" rulebook, never outshines his female lead.
The film itself moves along quickly and with ease. The film's spiffy marketing sell (flower power meets the current Microsoft XP campaign) shows up as a striking device to cut between scenes, sometimes also borrowing from the original THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR by having more than one image on screen at a time. Amongst some modern tunes on the soundtrack are some real classics being used to great effect.
HERBIE FULLY LOADED is a fun romp for young families. Pre-teen kids will be transfixed, teen girls should find it distracting enough and parents who remember the series from their childhood will find themselves entertained. Teen boys and Lindsay's "older fans" should also get a kick simply out of the idea that Lindsay takes a stock car out for a burn in stilettos and a miniskirt so short it would qualify as a belt in more religious countries.
Hopefully HERBIE will be met with the success it deserves, going down as a kids movie where the parties involved put the effort in, had some fun, actually thought about what they were doing and, like this summer's best films, WHO MIGHT ACTUALLY WANT TO SEE IT.
Daffodil 11
