Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (2001)

How long has it been since Paul Hogan's grizzled but charming alter ego appeared in a new movie? Well, long enough for the character, Crocodile Dundee, and his American companion, Sue Charleton (Hogan's real-life wife, Linda Kozlowski), to have raised a 9-year-old son, Mikey (Serge Cockburn), in the rough-and-tumble Australian outback that Dundee calls home. As with its two predecessors, however, Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles is no domestic comedy but a fish-out-of-water comic adventure, this time finding Dundee and his mate Jacko (Alec Wilson) relocated in balmy Southern California to help journalist Sue investigate a crooked studio executive. The jokes are predictable (L.A. traffic, Hollywood phonies, yoga) but fun, anyway, and there are some celebrity cameos to spice things up. Australian director Simon Wincer, who worked with Hogan on Lightning Jack, is very effective at keeping this light material briskly moving along even if he can't make it any more memorable than it has a right to be. All in all, this is a pleasant but forgettable experience, a far cry from the Capra-esque leanings of Hogan's first screen outing as Crocodile Dundee. --Tom Keogh Amazon.com

Third time unlucky

While great comedy should often appear effortless, that doesn't mean that the word should be taken literally, though on one level Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles can truly be said to be an effortless comedy. Absolutely no effort whatsoever has been made: it's in focus and the microphone never creeps into shot as uninteresting things happen in the most uninteresting way possible while the cast are given uninteresting things to say to bulk out the running time to the contractually agreed length, but that's about it for exertion. That the `plot' revolves around a smuggling operation financing a movie studio producing a guaranteed flop third episode in a dead franchise could possibly be seen as a moment of post-modernism, but it's probably just a desperate cry for help from the screenwriters. All the charm and wit of the first (and to a lesser extent the second) film has vanished, taking the characters and goodwill with them: Paul Hogan is starting to look a leathery as the crocs themselves and the most interesting thing about Linda Kozlowski here is trying to pinpoint the plastic surgery through the soft focus filters she's often shot with and work out how much of her disengaged performance is down to boredom and how much to Botox. Both are saddled with characters that simply aren't believable at their age anymore even if they do now have a rather bland son to acknowledge the passing years. She's a primary school play version of a reporter while somehow Mick Dundee seems to have suddenly become a complete simpleton with no memory of all the things he encountered in the first two films in the hope that the audience will find his newfound ignorance funny rather than simply bewildering - it's not even as if his character took a whack to the head in a contrived plot point, it's just plain lazy writing. Things improve slightly to become vaguely watchable in the last half hour, but that's not exactly a recommendation. Belated threequels are usually desperate attempts from faded stars to revive their career and bank balance, but this is so utterly disinterested in doing anything but visiting the cashpoint that it practically qualifies as a non-film. February 13, 2008

Third Time, Not Quite the Charm

The first Crocodile Dundee movie was great fun. Crocodile Dundee 2 was almost as much fun. Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles was still fun, but less so. The producers explain that they came to Los Angeles because it is so unlike the Australian Outback. The thing I liked the least was the use of Paramount Studios playing itself. While the story made a good reason to be there, it always seems like a way to save money. The story picks up about ten years after the previous left off with Dundee and Sue not yet married, but with a son. The story begins with a Dundee who is losing the knack of catching crocks and Sue has good reason to brings them back to America. It has a happy ending so all ends well. While not up to par with the others, if you liked the first two, you'll still like this, just not as much. September 17, 2007

~Judge for yourself~

I was so afraid of getting this DVD after reading the bad reviews some gave this movie. I decided to give it a shot as I adored the 1st & 2nd Dundee movies. I was not disappointed & felt is wasn't a waste of money as some have stated.

Maybe the bad reviews are because it ISN'T full of filthy language, violence, sexual situations & nudity that some think is needed to make a "good movie". I personally enjoy watching something that all my family can enjoy & laugh to. Sure some things in the movie are a little "corky" but that's what makes Crocodile Dundee so endearing!

It was great seeing the whole gang back together again & am so happy that I didnt listen to the few bad reviews & judged for myself! August 8, 2007

Mick as transplanted hick is used once too often and there is no strong villain to compensate

This movie is an existence proof that the same approach to comedy can be done once too often. In this third movie in the Crocodile Dundee genre, Mick Dundee is transplanted to Los Angeles, where he is once again trying to play the hick in the big city. However, that premise fails, the jokes are predictable and when they are not, they come across as dumb. The scene where Mick and his friend are ordering food at Wendy's is too long and very boring. There is another scene where some Hollywood people find out that Mick is from Australia and then ask him if he knows Mel Gibson. Mick replies that he does and it turns out that he is talking about another Mel Gibson that lives near Walkabout Creek. Given that the movie star Mel Gibson would be well known all throughout Australia, even Mick Dundee would know who he is.
Interwoven with all the scenes of hickdom gone astray, Mick's companion Sue is a journalist on the track of crooked studio executives. The villains in this case are not very strong, so they do not provide enough support to overcome the weakness of Mick's role as the continuing dummy. The high points of the movie are the cameos by other celebrities. My favorite was the one by Mike Tyson, where he plays some form of mystic peacenik. The funniest point in the movie was when Mick has his son walk away and then asks the Tyson character to help him up because his legs have locked in the crossed position.
This movie is largely forgettable, although Paul Hogan plays the character of Mick Dundee very well; this third time is a dud rather than a charm. Without some other strong supporting theme, such as the evil drug dealers in the second movie, the plot of Mick as transplanted hick is not enough to make an interesting movie.
May 15, 2007

Crocodile Dundee is back!

The opening scenes of the last of the Crocodile Dundee films is reminiscent of Jurassic Park as we see a crocodile's eye open on camera. Great shot. Paul Hogan returns as Mick Dundee after many years. The first movie was completed in 1986, the second in 1988, and this movie brings our hero back in 2001.

The thirteen years have taken their toll and both Paul Hogan, as well as the leading lady, Linda Kozlowski now look more mature. The chemistry is still there! At first, we see Mick attacked by a monstrous crocodile that destroys his boat, making him seek the safety of a tree branch.

His friend and mate, Jacko, played by Alec Wilson, joins him and both end up on the tree. A prelude to a very funny movie. Sue is called back to the U.S.A. by her father, but this time they travel to the Los Angeles branch with their son Mikey, played by Serge Cockburn.

While in Los Angeles Mick continues to be a fish out of water, his expertise with animals, his survival skills, and his great charm serve to make him rather successful. He gets involved in helping Sue investigate crooked studio executives, and resolves the mystery of what and how they are smuggling into the U.S.A.

An excellent movie to close one of the best series ever produced.
April 15, 2007

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