 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Kangaroo Jack
- Review Date: August 21, 2003
- PG
- Genre: Comedy
- 2003
Common Sense Media says
A very bad movie -- shouldn't have been PG.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What 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.
What's the story?
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?
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.
What families can talk about
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?
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- Teens & kids
AGE
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
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AGE
Worse than the cartoon version of this crapfest.
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AGE
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.
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AGE
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.
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AGE
Theres only one word to discrbe this movie and it is funny
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Kid, 12 years old
July 8, 2010
AGE
i like it when it's on ... on CN, HBO and Telefutura and even that's it, and REELZ.
this isn't bad. not iffy for 10-12, why is not appropriate until 12 or 13????????
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Kid, 12 years old
November 15, 2009
AGE
great fo 6+
i loved this movie my fave (kid)movie of all time hilarious movie i LOVED it my fav part was the rap and the part when jacky legs put the hot ball in his mouth and was hopping every were
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AGE
the strangest movie ever
This is a really wierd movie. It doesn't even have a plot (unless if you consider trying to get you jacket back from a kangaroo as a plot). I know the movie goes way over kid's heads, but still really dumb. I guess kids just like movies like this. (its soooo immature)!!!!
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| Topics: | adventures, wild animals |
| Studio: | Warner Bros. |
| Director: | David McNally |
| Cast: | Anthony Anderson, Christopher Walken, Jerry O'Connell |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 89 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | January 17, 2003 |
| DVD release date: | June 17, 2003 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | language, crude humor, sensuality, and violence |
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