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Tuesday, 15 August 2006 00:40 |
Wandering into "The Prince and the Pauper" territory by way of "Babe," this lifeless, talky, family-oriented feature never manages to rise to the occasion of its witty title, which actually was appropriated from a 1942 Merrie Melodies cartoon featuring Babbit and Castello.
Even the kiddies responsible for the original $75.3 million kitty likely will be consumed by restlessness this time around if the audibly unengaged reactions at a recent preview screening are of any indication.
The action, such as it is, moves to across the pond to England, where Garfield (again voiced by Bill Murray), accompanied by his live-action, dim-witted canine cohabitant Odie, follows his nice but dull facilitator (Breckin Meyer) to London, where he's planning to propose to his perky veterinarian girlfriend (Jennifer Love Hewitt).
In short order, Garfield manages to swap places with his doppelganger -- a pampered royal pet (voiced by Tim Curry) who has just inherited his master's castle, much to the distinct aggravation of the plotting Lord Dargis (a waste of Billy Connolly), who thought he had permanently taken care of the one obstacle blocking his rightful place in line.
Despite an official running time of 78 minutes, the sequel somehow feels twice that long, dragged ploddingly along the subordinate claws provided by incoming director Tim Hill ("Muppets From Space") and writers Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow (the first "Garfield," "Cheaper by the Dozen").
While the inaugural installment at least had the benefit of Murray's sardonic way with a line reading, here his patented tossed-off dialogue has all the bite of soggy kibble.
Visually, even with all the advances in CG technology, the latest Garfield model succeeds in looking even creepier than its predecessor.
It is only during those "Babe"-inspired sequences involving a live-action grouping of animals on the estate (voiced by the likes of Bob Hoskins, Sharon Osbourne, Richard E. Grant and Rhys Ifans) that the picture offers a glimpse of something approaching amusement.
The rest of the time is occupied wondering why the ever-soulful Odie doesn't ditch the tiresome orange fur-ball once and for all and strike out on his own capable four feet.
Director: Tim Hill
Producer: John Davis
Screenwriters: Joel Cohen & Alec Sokolow
Based on the comic strip "Garfield" by: Jim Davis
Executive producers: Michele Imperato Stabile, Brian Manis
Director of photography: Peter Lyons Collister
Production designer: Tony Burrough
Editor: Peter S. Elliot
Costume designer: Francine Jamison-Tanchuck
Music: Christophe Beck
Cast:
Jon Arbuckle: Breckin Meyer
Liz: Jennifer Love Hewitt
Dargis: Billy Connolly
Voice of Garfield: Bill Murray
Smithee: Ian Abercrombie
Mr. Hobbs: Roger Rees
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