The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle

The Adventures of
Rocky and Bullwinkle

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Des McAnuff
Produced by Robert De Niro
Jane Rosenthal
Written by Kenneth Lonergan
Based on The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show 
by Jay Ward
Starring June Foray
Keith Scott
Piper Perabo
Robert De Niro
Rene Russo
Jason Alexander
Randy Quaid
Narrated by Keith Scott
Music by Mark Mothersbaugh
Cinematography Thomas E. Ackerman
Edited by Dennis Virkler
Production
company
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release dates
  • June 30, 2000 (2000-06-30)
Running time
 92 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $76 million
Box office $35,134,820

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle is a 2000 American live-action/animated adventure comedy film produced by Universal Pictures, based on the television cartoon The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show by Jay Ward. The animated characters Rocky and Bullwinkle shared the screen with live actors portraying Fearless Leader (Robert De Niro), Boris Badenov (Jason Alexander), Natasha Fatale (Rene Russo). The film also featured supporting roles done by Piper Perabo, Randy Quaid, Kel Mitchell and Kenan Thompson.[1] June Foray reprised her role as Rocky, whilst Keith Scott voices Bullwinkle and the film's narrator.

This film is also notable for its ensemble cast featuring guest appearances by performers including Paget Brewster, Janeane Garofalo, John Goodman, David Allen Grier, Don Novello, Jon Polito, Carl Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg, Max Grodenchik, and Jonathan Winters.

Plot

1964 saw the cancellation of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show and life became rather miserable and melancholy for Rocket "Rocky" J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose. Their home, Frostbite Falls, has been destroyed in deforestation, Rocky has lost his ability to fly, and the show's unseen Narrator lives with his mother, spending his time narrating everything that she does. Bullwinkle and Rocky head out to address the President of the United States regarding their situation, but are stopped for six months by red tape. Meanwhile, their enemies Fearless Leader, Boris Badenov, and Natasha Fatale lose power over Pottsylvania and dig to a Hollywood film studio where they convince an executive Minnie Mogul (Janeane Garofalo) to sign a contract giving her rights to the show, and the villains are transformed from their two-dimensional cel animation origins, and become live-action characters (portrayed by Robert De Niro, Jason Alexander, and Rene Russo). The klutzy FBI agent Karen Sympathy (Piper Perabo) and her manager Cappy von Trapment (Randy Quaid) inform President Signoff (James Rebhorn) that Fearless Leader intends to make himself the President by brainwashing countless viewers using the cable television network "RBTV" (short for "Really Bad Television"), with virtually nothing but mediocre spy film-based programming on the air. Karen is sent to a special lighthouse to bring Rocky and Bullwinkle to the real world. She succeeds, the Narrator being brought along as well but never being physically seen.

Fearless Leader is informed of Rocky and Bullwinkle's return and sends Boris and Natasha to destroy them. The two take a laptop with them called the CDI (standing for Computer Degenerating Imagery) which can specifically destroy CGI-animated cartoon characters, and send them to the Internet. Karen manages to steal their truck after they drive her car off a cliff, but she is then nabbed by an Oklahoma state trooper (John Goodman) when Natasha claims to be Karen. Natasha and Boris steal a helicopter to pursue Rocky and Bullwinkle. Rocky and Bullwinkle are given a ride by "Martin and Lewis" (Kel Mitchell and Kenan Thompson)[2]) two students at Bullwinkle's old university, Wossamotta U. Boris and Natasha get there first, and make a large donation to the university in Bullwinkle's name. In return, the head of the university gives Bullwinkle an honorary "Mooster's Degree", and Bullwinkle addresses the student body, whilst Boris attempts to kill him with the CDI upon the water tower which they built in the park. Rocky recovers his lost ability to fly and saves the oblivious Bullwinkle. Martin and Lewis lend the two their car, but Bullwinkle goes on a wild ride through Chicago. Boris and Natasha once again attempt to kill the two but instead destroy their helicopter. Karen escapes prison with help from a love-struck Swedish guard named Ole.

Karen, Rocky, and Bullwinkle are reunited but then arrested and put on trial, where Bullwinkle's dimwittedness takes over him and he sabotages their case by cross-examining Karen as the prosecutor, not the defense attorney. However, the presiding Judge Cameo (Whoopi Goldberg) dismisses their case upon recognizing Rocky and Bullwinkle, stating to the District Attorney (Jeffrey Ross) that celebrities are above the law.

The three then obtain an old biplane from a man named Old Jeb (Jonathan Winters), and escape Boris and Natasha again. The evil duo consider quitting their evil occupations and getting married, but then Fearless Leader calls on the phone. Afraid to admit they failed, they lie to Fearless Leader that they killed Rocky and Bullwinkle. Meanwhile, the plane the heroes fly in is unable to fly with all three aboard. Rocky flies Karen to New York City to stop Fearless Leader, while Bullwinkle flies the plane to Washington, D.C. and lands at the White House. The villains capture Karen and Rocky. Inside the White House, Bullwinkle is discovered and due to having a small brain, resists the mind control. In an attempt to stop Fearless Leader, Cappy e-mails Bullwinkle to RBTV's headquarters to free them. A battle follows, with the heroes winning and convincing the American public to vote for whomever they want but to replant Frostbite Falls' trees. Bullwinkle fiddles with the CDI and inadvertently zaps the villains back to their two-dimensional cartoon forms, and ultimately to the internet once and for all.

At the film's end, RBTV becomes "Rocky and Bullwinkle Television". Karen and Ole start dating and go to see the Rocky and Bullwinkle movie. Returning to Frostbite Falls, the narrator reunites with his mother, the trees are replanted, and Rocky ends the movie by flying through the air and spells the words The End. Then Rocky and Bullwinkle say good bye to the people.

Cast

Songs

In the film, there are several songs, including:

There was also a soundtrack for the film to be released by New Line Records, but was later canceled.

The soundtrack that was produced for the film was released in the end by the RCA Records Label of BMG Entertainment. [4]

Reception

On review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a rating of 43% based on 96 reviews with an average rating of 4.8/10. The critical consensus stated, "Though the film stays true to the nature of the original cartoon, the script is disappointing and not funny."[5]

Roger Ebert gave the film three stars out of four, saying that it "has the same mixture of dumb puns, corny sight gags and sly, even sophisticated in-jokes. It's a lot of fun."

On a $76 million budget the film grossed $35 million worldwide.[6]

Awards and nominations

Award Category Subject Result
Golden Raspberry Award Worst Supporting Actress Rene Russo Nominated
Saturn Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Jason Alexander Nominated

References

  1. ↑ Roos, John (1999-04-12). "Keeping Her Father's Legacy Alive". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-11-07.
  2. ↑ The name is an apparent play on the 1950s comedy duo of Martin and Lewis; Mitchell and Thompson were also a famous comedy duo in their own right.
  3. ↑ Template:Ciweb
  4. ↑ "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle". IMDB.com. Amazon. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  5. ↑ Goldstein, Patrick (2000-07-11). "The Misadventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Other Tales From Remake Hell". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2016-02-10.
  6. ↑ "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2000) - Box Office Mojo". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2010-06-04.

External links

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