Yessiree, The Real Star Here Is The Leapin' Car

Sun Herald

Sunday September 18, 2005

Rob Lowing

THE DUKES OF HAZZARD

Rated: M

Starring: Seann William Scott, Jessica Simpson, Johnny Knoxville, Burt Reynolds.

Critic's warning: Language, sexual references, fights.

Critic's rating: 6/10

THE casting of efficient comedian Scott and the novelty value of television star Simpson may appear to combat frat-boy formulas in The Dukes Of Hazzard.

But make no mistake. This feature-length version of the genial 1970s television series is at best a well shot smash-'em-up derby. Six good car chases disguise a painfully familiar Dumb Kulture set-up in which everybody is a moron.

Viewers who ignore the plot and concentrate on the eye candy (Simpson and the cars, not necessarily in that order) fare best. It was notable at one screening that the roistering 20-somethings seated nearby laughed most of the way through (although even they seemed to fade in the last quarter of this 103-minute feature). However, older, glummer viewers sat unmoved, getting glummer (and older) by the minute.

Dukes Of Hazzard begins with a car chase as carousing Luke (Knoxville) and his hard-driving cousin Bo (Scott) deliver illegally distilled liquor and avoid irate local authorities and irate local husbands.

But even the boys must get serious when greedy landowner Boss Hogg (Reynolds) snatches the farm owned by their Uncle Jesse (Willie Nelson). Teaming up with beauteous Cousin Daisy (Simpson), the boys enter Bo's souped up '69 Charger, the General Lee, in a race.

The Dukes Of Hazzard sensibly emphasises the teleseries trademark: the cars' amazing leaps off bridges and over trucks. Loving cinematography of the General is about as emotional as this film gets. The rest is neatly shot slapstick from Jay Chandrasekhar, who made the equally brisk highway patrolmen comedy Super Troopers.

However, apart from fleeting affectionate location shots and cracks about hillbilly wind chimes (beer cans hanging on strings), the flavourless Dukes could have been set in any county in America.

It is not helped by two actors who seem like Californian surfer dudes playing at being Southern lads.

Viewers who saw the series aren't likely to forget that original stars Tom Wopat and John Schneider actually had charm.

Both Scott and Knoxville play their roles as full-time crazy rednecks, which grows tedious. Knoxville, the Jackass television series actor with raccoon eyes, has three expressions, every one the same.

Scott at least can act. He extracts some suspense from Bo's pressure-cooker temperament.

As for the much-anticipated feature film debut of Newlyweds reality television star Simpson well, she is so buffed, polished and artificially posed that she seems like a scantily clad cartoon character. Trapped by a pop diva's inability to not be the centre of attention, she stands stiffly on the sidelines.

Reynolds, survivor of many cross-country chases such as Smokey And The Bandit, could play the venal southerner in his sleep and looks as though he is, here.

Stay for the credits and great outtakes of failed stunts. These shrewdly counter the last-quarter dumbness and send viewers out on a reasonably cheery note.