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Add1/3 car chase, 1/3 hillbilly humor and 1/3 scantily clad Jessica Simpson and what do you get? No not a delicious thanksgiving dinner. The movie Dukes of Hazzard! The film stars Johnny Knoxville as Luke Duke, Seann William Scott as Bo Duke and of course Jessica Simpson as Daisy Duke. At its worst the Dukes of Hazzard is sophomoric and immature, at best it's a film to not think about and just laugh. I found myself laughing more than I thought I would. 

The bar fight at the beginning of the movie had so many humorous parts to it, the camera angels guided by Jay Chandrasekhar definitely
contributed to making this and other scenes seem more believable. The main problem I have with this movie is that every female character that had a speaking part (even one's with one line) at some point was in a bikini or less except Linda Carter. Female characters were solely sex objects throughout even in the first three minutes you find Luke (Johnny Knoxville) using his wiles to get intimate with a woman who gets undressed down to almost nothing at all.

No new ground was broken here, no cinematic milestones were passed but who was expecting anything like that from this motion picture? If you go see this movie with the mindset of just solely being entertained you won't be disappointed but if you are a Dukes of Hazzard purist and grew up with the show you will have lots to grumble against, for example at the start, General Lee's doors open! What sacrilege! All in all, it is what it is--a film to escape for awhile. 

Aaron Anderson  8/3/2005

In addition to writing for Phantom Tollbooth, Aaron also independently writes poems, devotionals and more about the human condition. To read more of his writings or order some of his books go to: www.aaroncanderson.us. 
 

In the remake of this '70’s comedy, The Dukes of Hazzard has everything the original did and more. It has the same bad writing, bad acting and a crash proof orange car with a funny horn. What they added was a dumb and dumber version of Hazzard County including an idiotic Bo (Seann William Scott) and Luke (Johnny Knoxville) and a badly cast Boss Hogg (Burt Reynolds).

Fans of the original will be disappointed in the liberties director Jay Chandrasekhar took with the main characters. The Dukes in the original series, though country folk, still had an intelligence and maturity about them. This modern day version has none of that. In its place is an Uncle Jesse (Willie Nelson) who has replaced wise council for ridiculous, JR.High, locker room jokes.

As in all Hazzard tales Boss Hogg has a plan to undermined the good people of the county in order to gain a huge profit. And as always it is up to the Dukes to outsmart him while outrunning Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane (M.C. Gainey). When the boys are in trouble it is up to Daisy Duke to, uh, how does she put it? “You know what's gonna happen. They're gonna get caught and get thrown in jail. Then I'm gonna have to shake my *bottom* at somebody to get them out.” And sadly that is the longest string of dialogue she has in the whole film. The rest is just her using her “props” to get her cousins out of tight spots.

My favorite character and by far the only truly funny cast member is Sheev (Kevin Heffernan). His timing and delivery are topnotch and adds a much needed relief to the other wise campy performances. Another saving element is the in your face classic rock soundtrack that enhances the chase scenes and gets your motor running. But that is all I can say nice about this pitiful attempt at filmmaking.

The Dukes of Hazzard is rated PG-13 for sexual content, crude and drug-related humor, language and comic action violence. Fans of Jackass will flock to see Knoxville on the big screen and as one patron said, you almost have to be one to enjoy it.

The Mungle  8/8/2005

Matt hosts the weekly syndicated Indie Rock Radio Show Spin 180. Plus with his wife Cindy they do a weekly radio feature, The Mungles on Movies. For additional reviews and interview clips visit the website www.mungleshow.com