The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (PG, 2000)

Wilma (Kristen Johnston (Third Rock from the Sun) is the pampered daughter of the snobbish Pearl Slaghoople (Joan Collins) and the loving but addled Colonel (Harvey Korman). She has no interest in a life of country clubs and snobs. She runs away and is befriended by waitress Betty O'Shale (Jane Krakowski of Ally McBeal). They meet Fred (Mark Addy, from The Full Monty) and Barney (Stephen Baldwin, from The Usual Suspects) and all goes well until Chip Rockefeller (Dharma & Greg's Thomas Gibson), who is after Wilma's fortune, invites them to his new resort in Rock Vegas. But all ends well, and we even get to see the origins of Wilma's upswept hairstyle and pearls.

First things first – FLINTSTONES IN VIVA LAS VEGAS is better than the original, famously troubled 1994 version that sank under the weight of too many screenwriters (reportedly over 30) and too many commercial tie-ins. This prequel benefits from lower expectations (it was originally intended as a straight-to-video release) and improved technology (the CGI dinosaurs are terrific). Okay, it begins with a fart joke (the guilty party -- a dinosaur -- says, "Hey, I got three stomachs, cut me some slack!"). And the rest of the humor is only slightly more elevated. And some of its jokes are older than the Stone Age. But it is not too bad, there are even a couple of genuinely funny moments, and it can provide for moderately enjoyable family entertainment or a first-class birthday party for anyone in the 5- to 8-year-old range. The kids at the screening I attended cheered and applauded.

Mark Addy and Stephen Baldwin play Fred and Barney as though they are really enjoying it. The wonderfully talented Kristen Johnston is sadly underused as Wilma, but she looks sensational in her "Isaac Miz-rock-hi" animal skins. The highlight of the movie is Alan Cummings. He plays both Gazoo, the space alien who comes to earth to observe human mating rituals, and Mick Jagged, the (what else) rock star, frontman for (what else) the Stones. It's a real pity that he plays only two roles -- the movie fades whenever he is off screen. In the soundtrack's highlight, Ann-Margret simultaneously salutes two of her career highlights -- the original Flintstones cartoon (as "Ann Margrock") and Viva Las Vegas with a terrific rendition of Viva Rock Vegas.