BRIEFCASE FULL OF BUNK
A review of "Blues Brothers 2000"
Almost twenty years ago, John Landis directed a feature-length "Road Runner" cartoon called "The Blues Brothers", a delightfully anarchic introduction to various and sundry musical forms that were all a part of what has come to be known as Rhythm and Blues. The plot was simple enough -- the orphanage where Jake and Elwood were raised needs money. Jake and Elwood want to help. Since Sister Mary Stigmata (Kathleen Freeman) opposes many of the ways that the duo could potentially raise the money, they decide to get their old band back to- gether and hold a benefit concert. This they do, but in the process they make many enemies, some of which were in pursuit before the film begins. Evading said enemies, Jake and Elwood throw a successful concert, sign a recording con- tract and repay the orphanage's debt -- all this while barely evading the teem- ing hordes that would see them destroyed. The original film had terrific comic timing (from both the performers and the director), great musical numbers and insanley excessive stunt work (which contributed much to its correspondingly then-large $40 million price tag). The film did well enough (despite a less- than-warm critical reception) that a sequel, "The Blues Brothers meet the Zom- bie Queen", was in the works. The death of John Belushi, however, seemed to end any possibility of future films. Aykroyd and Landis have now re-teamed to create a sequel, but much of the ori- ginal energy seems missing. The film starts well with a gag (Elwood waiting outside for hours after being released from prison) that turns a bit somber as we learn that he was waiting for Jake to return. The film soon loses focus, though, and it's not all that clear why this trip is being taken -- the only conflict seems to be that Elwood doesn't have any money himself. Many seq- els feel unmotivated, and this one is no exception. One begins to wonder why any of the band members want to join Elwood in his goal of winning the "Battle of the Bands" in New Orleans. Little is made of the careers of the various characters -- Elwood, Mighty Max (the bartender from Willie's strip club -- a particularly gratuitous skin display -- who soon joins up) and Buster (an orph- an who tags along with Elwood after being introduced to him by Mother Mary) simply show up, a musical number ensues, and everyone continues on their way. The new numbers -- Aretha Franklin performs "R-E-S-P-E-C-T", Wilson Pickett sings "634-5789" -- are fine, but the enviroments -- a Mercedes-Benz dealer- ship, a phone-sex establishment -- while intended to be as incongruous as those in the first film, simply come off as awkward film sets. Few of the new locations feel like the places that they're supposed to represent in the story, nor are they effective stylizations (like Cab Calloway's "Minnie The Moocher" performance). The original film has a grittiness that is sorely miss- ed here; often the performing extras felt like passersby who happned to know how to dance and sing perfectly; in "2000", however, everything feels contri- ved, an attempt at reviving a potential franchise property. This new film is additionally weakened by an attempt to atone for any slights that the first film might have caused. Performers are piled on, but in neglec- ting fewer artists, everyone winds up with extended cameos. Few of the new numbers equal Ray Charles' or James Brown's solo pieces in the original film. A piece by the group Blues Traveler is one of the best in the film, but it has the least to do with the narrative, and (as I recall) isn't complete. Having four Blues Brothers means everyone gets less to do here, as well. Joe Morton's character is particularly unappealing and not terribly funny, while John Good- man is given even less to do -- most of his jokes stem from how "un-hip" he is. J. Evan Bonifant plays the orphan Buster, and while his addition is superfici- ally the least defendable (none of the characters that I knew in the first film would have been seen anywhere near a child), he earns his keep with some great dancing and singing, which was also severely truncated in the final cut. Other returning characters -- Steve Lawrence, Frank Oz, Kathleen Freeman -- mainly come off as grace nods to their original roles. It's amazing how unfamiliar the original writers and director seem to be with their own creations. Elwood is transformed into a chatty, warmhearted fellow -- his Jack Webb quality has almost entirely vanished. One would think that with three new characters to potentially speak for him, Elwood could have re- mained his old taciturn self, but times have definately changed. It's difficult to imagine this new Elwood capable of provoking anyone. A group of Russian assassins are here for this go-around, and a group of Southern militant survivalists replace the Illinois Nazis, both to lesser ef- fect. Talkiness, regrettably, is throughout the new film, replacing the empha- sis on the pair as deadpan reactors to the insanity around them. Everyone sits about and spews exposition, then tosses off some disarming one-liner to let us know they're in on the joke. Landis has a few choice moments -- the background music stops as the characters pause for a red light; a frenzied police car pile-up that rivals one of the best sequences in the original -- but overall, it's a slack, unfocused film, with little of the enthusiasm of the original. Many touches -- a gaggle of cowboy-skeletons materialize during "Ghost Riders in the Sky", for example -- feel random and indulgent. By the time we arrive at the "Battle of the Bands" -- one song each from two bands -- and our heroes lose to their more experienced predecessors, one hardly notices. It's sad to see a pale sequel to a highly entertaining film, but to see one this confused and poorly motivated is sadder still. If you do wind up going to see this after all that I've said, be sure to stick around until it's entirely finished -- James Brown has (what appears to be) a cut scene that's a lot of fun. Not Recommended.
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- Jeff "When I'm Finished With You, They'll Be Stumbling Over YOU In The Dark" Pidgeon
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