Crocodile Dundee (1986)

Overrated and overhyped

Disturbing yet enthralling

There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

CROCODILE DUNDEE is a film every bit as likable and laid back as its main character. It's really the love child of Paul Hogan, who really had no career of any kind outside of this role. CROCODILE DUNDEE is a classic fish-out-of-water comedy in which an adventurer from the Australian outback arrives in New York and proceeds to experience a vivid kind of culture shock. I normally don't care for romantic comedies, but this one's genuinely funny, with sharp one-liners and edgy humour that wouldn't pass muster these days. Hogan is excellent in the part and dripping with charisma, while Linda Kozlowski makes an impact in what could have been an insipid part. Watch out for David Gulpilil's cameo, the funniest part of the film for me.

There is no doubt that Crocodile Dundee became an iconic film character because of this film. The phrase "that's not a knife…this is a knife!" (along with a few others) are oft-quoted, and if the movie didn't invent the "country bumpkin comes to the big city" trope, it elevated it to new cinematic heights. That alone is enough to make "Crocodile Dundee" entertaining. Holding the experience back from being an all-time classic, though, is the fact that the film itself really lacks a strong or defined audience base.For a basic plot summary, the film sees journalist Sue Charlton (Linda Kozlowski) on an assignment in Australia, tracking down the infamous Mick "Crocodile" Dundee (Paul Hogan) for a story. After meeting Mick and living in his world (i.e. "the bush") for a little while, Sue becomes smitten with him (in more ways than way). She takes him back to New York City with her, ostensibly to continue her broadening story, but also because he is ever more exciting than her stodgy, socialite fiancée Richard (Mark Blum).The main reason I can give this film as many as six stars is because Hogan's Dundee is goofball humor at its very finest! As a child, I considered it the peak of hilarity, and even as an adult there is something endearing about it. Perhaps the movie, on a deeper level, speaks to the dichotomy between our natural, survival instincts, in comparison to those that must be cultivated for city life. Simply put, it will make you laugh on a number of occasions.Unfortunately, I really can't think of a specific audience for "Crocodile Dundee", and that is why I think it is fading away a bit as time goes by. In all honesty, the humor in the film is rather childish, lending itself to youngsters. At the same time, however, there are some instances/scenes (especially in NYC) that clearly are not made for children. On the other end of the spectrum, there are deep, interesting "city vs. wild" themes in the film for adults, but again the humor is so childish as to render any length of seriousness rather moot.So, I think that the endearing legacy of "Crocodile Dundee" will be the iconic title-named character created by Paul Hogan. If looked strictly through that lens, the film is quite entertaining. Trying to evaluate the film as a whole, however, will produce mostly disappointment (in large part because of a lack of defined audience). If you haven't seen this movie, it is worth watching just to "get" the iconic references. Upon a recent re-watch, I discovered that "child me" held it in higher regard than "adult me".

I loved this movie back in the 1980's and having not seen it in over twenty five years, when I realised SkyMovies were showing this, and Crocodile Dundee 2 back to back, I decided to revisit my youth and watch them. Sadly this first movie did not live up to the fond memories in my mind. I'd have rated this as an 8, if I was reviewing it without rewatching it, however now it is not the case.Plot In A Paragraph: Sue Charlton, a New York reporter (Linda Kozlowski) is working on assignment in Australia, when she heads to the outback to interview the living legend Mike Dundee (Paul Hogan). When she finally locates him, she is so taken with him that she brings him back with her to New York. In New York, Mike Dundee is amazed by the wonders of the city and the interesting people there.Paul Hogans performance is full of charm and I still find him an engaging lead as Mick "Crocodile" Dundee, but overall the movie was a letdown from what I remembered. Linda Kozlowski was the high point of the movie for this reviewer. She is gorgeous, talented, had great chemistry with Hogan (who she would later marry) and boy what an ass!! The scene where she is in the thong bikini is what has lingered in my memory, even though I didn't remember it from all those years ago. Reginald VelJohnson is a lot of fun as Gus the Limo driver. Mark Blum is simply perfectly slimy as Richard Mason, Sue's fiancée. I'll still watch the second movie now (I'm writing this during the ad break) but I remember it not being up to the standard of this one. I'll still vote it a generous 7/10. It would have been a 6/10 but I'm awarding a bonus point for Kozlowski's ass in THAT thong bikini.

Crocodile Dundee is a comedy movie, but there isn't any large joke (except the idea of the journey), just several small ones, nevertheless it's more realistic and less stereotypical in this way.There are some strenghts in this movie: The two main characters are well built up and I like the message behind it; even two completely different persons can learn the beauty of the life, they have no idea about (especially the beauty of wild life in this example). However I think this movie should have shown the two main locations a bit longer and the ending could have been better (it's still satisfying though).7/10