Kangaroo Jack (PG)

A very bad movie -- shouldn't have been PG.

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Common Sense rates it
1
Seen the movie? Review it
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Movie details
  • Studio: Warner Bros.
  • Directed By: David McNally
  • Cast: Anthony Anderson, Christopher Walken, Jerry O'Connell
  • Running Time: 89 minutes
  • Release Date: 01/17/2003
  • Video/DVD Release Date: 06/17/2003
  • Genre: Comedy
  • MPAA Rating: PG
  • MPAA Explanation: language, crude humor, sensuality, and violence

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that the DVD cover suggests that a funny kangaroo is a large part of the movie, but it's a brief highlight that appears only in a fantasy sequence. The movie has a great deal of material parents might consider inappropriate for children, including peril, violence and gunplay, a stepfather who orders his stepson killed, drinking to excess seen as impressive, drinking portrayed as a way to cope with problems, violence, potty humor, and a co-ed swim in underwear that leads to kissing. There's a sexist joke and the black character is portrayed in "sidekick" terms with no interest in having any kind of independent life or relationships. The "happy" ending is somewhat sour as the only character who had been doing something to contribute to improving the world appears to have abandoned that completely for a life of hedonistic pleasure.

Families can talk about why Louis thought that the only reason Charlie stayed with him was because he saved Charlie's life. Why does Charlie blame himself for his mother's marrying Sal? What should Charlie have done differently?

Message

Social Behavior:

Sexist and homophobic jokes, most capable character is female, inter-racial close friends

Consumerism:

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Drinking, comic drunk.

Violence

A lot of violence for a PG, including peril, guns, knives.

Sex

Strong for a PG.

Language

Strong for a PG.

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Nell Minow

Jerry O'Connell plays Charlie, the hairdresser stepson of Sal, a Brooklyn mob boss (Christopher Walken). His best friend is Louis (Anthony Anderson), who constantly wheedles him into all kinds of messes by reminding him of the time he saved Charlie's life when they were both eight years old. Charlie and Louis accidentally lead the police to a mob stash of stolen goods. Sal tells them that he would have them killed, but because of Charlie's mother, he is giving them another chance. He sends them to Australia with $50,000 cash, to be delivered to "Mr. Smith." Charlie and Louis hit a kangaroo with their jeep, and, thinking it is dead, dress it up in Louis' jacket to take pictures. But it hops away with the jacket -- and the $50,000, which is in the pocket. Charlie and Anthony chase after the kangaroo while they are being chased by Mr. Smith and the mob guys from back home.

Is it any good?

1

KANGAROO JACK is not just a very bad movie. It is a very bad movie that shows how inadequately the MPAA rating system handles the kinds of materials that are of concern to parents. This movie received a PG rating despite "humor" about topics that include masturbation, homosexuality, drinking and drunkenness, epilepsy, murder, grabbing a woman's breasts, the famous case where a dingo (wild Australian dog) ate a baby, a hit ordered by a mob boss on his stepson, and the ever-popular camel flatulence.

The action sequences are poorly staged, the jokes are staged even more poorly, the montages to rock music have no energy, and the acting ranges from mediocre to dreadful. Estella Warren, who plays the love interest, cannot act. The best performance is unquestionably that of the computer folks who designed the CGI kangaroo. Two positive notes are the long and and loyal inter-racial friendship and a strong, independent, brave, and capable woman.

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Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 11 reviews.

2

Posted on 05/22/08 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Incase you didnt know.

So i viewed the movie with subtitles once, and i was shocked to see and hear the S word said about 3 times but this movie was a bomb shell it was not very good.
0


Posted on 04/23/08 by skidoo 4001 Kid contributor, age 13

i hated this movie

my mom turned off this movie because of a passionate scene it really was not appropriate should of been PG-13 adults do not let your kids see this
4


Posted on 12/21/07 by garfield2711 Adult contributor

This was a great film with a couple of bad jokes.

Sexual:Thinking a hot woman is a mirage a man places his hands on her breasts and exclaims "They feel so real!" Mild homosexual jokes. Violence: People held at gunpoint. Fiery Crash. No one killed. Language: 4=A** 5=God's Name in vain Drugs: After their car get's destroyed Charlie & Louis drown themselves at a bar. If only they had left out some of the jokes and bad words and this could've been a wholesome family film that was funny.
4


Posted on 03/12/07 by gokanhan56 Kid contributor, age 13

Absolutely hilarious- but should have been PG-13

This is a greatly funny movie, but it has quite a bit of adult content, including jokes about homosexuality and disabilities.
4


Posted on 06/27/06 by G Kid contributor, age 12

Theres only one word to discrbe this movie and it is funny

2

Posted on 12/17/05 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 13
4


Posted on 03/18/05 by QueenOfNowhere34 Kid contributor, age 13
5


Posted on 08/19/04 by Queen2B87 Kid contributor, age 11

This movie was great! Who ever rates the movies are wrong!
4


Posted on 01/13/04 by Forknose Kid contributor, age 15

Why Such A Bad Rating?

It is as good family movie and I didn't think that it should have gotten such poor ratings. The rapping kangaroo part was dumb, but overall it was original and a pretty good movie. Besides it was funny.
0

Posted on 06/25/03 by Anonymous Adult contributor

you could actually lose brain cells watching this movie

This is one of those movies where you leave wanting your money back -- and the time you wasted sitting through it and the time you will waste trying to tell your kids that entertainment can actually have an uplifting moment or two. This movie should only be shown to kids who are home sick and won't remember that they saw it. Yuck

See all 11 reviews >

Adult Reviews

There are 3 reviews.

2

Posted on 05/22/08 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Incase you didnt know.

So i viewed the movie with subtitles once, and i was shocked to see and hear the S word said about 3 times but this movie was a bomb shell it was not very good.
4


Posted on 12/21/07 by garfield2711 Adult contributor

This was a great film with a couple of bad jokes.

Sexual:Thinking a hot woman is a mirage a man places his hands on her breasts and exclaims "They feel so real!" Mild homosexual jokes. Violence: People held at gunpoint. Fiery Crash. No one killed. Language: 4=A** 5=God's Name in vain Drugs: After their car get's destroyed Charlie & Louis drown themselves at a bar. If only they had left out some of the jokes and bad words and this could've been a wholesome family film that was funny.
0

Posted on 06/25/03 by Anonymous Adult contributor

you could actually lose brain cells watching this movie

This is one of those movies where you leave wanting your money back -- and the time you wasted sitting through it and the time you will waste trying to tell your kids that entertainment can actually have an uplifting moment or two. This movie should only be shown to kids who are home sick and won't remember that they saw it. Yuck

Kids Reviews

There are 8 reviews.

0


Posted on 04/23/08 by skidoo 4001 Kid contributor, age 13

i hated this movie

my mom turned off this movie because of a passionate scene it really was not appropriate should of been PG-13 adults do not let your kids see this
4


Posted on 03/12/07 by gokanhan56 Kid contributor, age 13

Absolutely hilarious- but should have been PG-13

This is a greatly funny movie, but it has quite a bit of adult content, including jokes about homosexuality and disabilities.
4


Posted on 06/27/06 by G Kid contributor, age 12

Theres only one word to discrbe this movie and it is funny

2

Posted on 12/17/05 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 13
4


Posted on 03/18/05 by QueenOfNowhere34 Kid contributor, age 13
5


Posted on 08/19/04 by Queen2B87 Kid contributor, age 11

This movie was great! Who ever rates the movies are wrong!
4


Posted on 01/13/04 by Forknose Kid contributor, age 15

Why Such A Bad Rating?

It is as good family movie and I didn't think that it should have gotten such poor ratings. The rapping kangaroo part was dumb, but overall it was original and a pretty good movie. Besides it was funny.
3


Posted on 06/17/03 by Shinjo Kid contributor, age 10

This movie was funny, but that's not saying it was great.....

This movie is for kids ages 7-12. I think kids will like it, but the adults might have a different idea about it. A movie to see only once or twice.
See all 8 kids reviews >
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