Film review: Zookeeper

THERE are elements of this dipsy comedy for kids that work wonderfully well.

hit Zookeeper

THERE are elements of this dipsy comedy for kids that work wonderfully well.

Unfortunately, none of these elements directly involve Zookeeper's leading man, Kevin James, who sluggishly serves up the same large-boned, lovelorn loser he played in his unlikely 2009 hit, Paul Blart: Mall Cop.

First, let's focus on the good stuff. The principal setting is a busy metropolitan zoo, where the animals have broken an ancient secret code and started speaking to humans.

Well, one human, anyway (James, as the dumpy Doc Dolittle hero of the hour).

Worried their best two-legged buddy is to take a job elsewhere because he can't find a good woman, the critters band together to dispense some quite amusing, species-specific dating advice.

The voice cast that has been wrangled for this madcap menagerie is in first-class form. Yes, they have all of the best lines, but they don't mangle a single one.

So take a bow, Adam Sandler (as a monkey, what else?), Judd Apatow (elephant), Jon Favreau (bear), Sylvester Stallone and Cher (married lions), Don Rickles (frog) and last but not least, Nick Nolte (as a gorilla that goes to a bar to celebrate his birthday).

All of you are the reason most children below high-school age will extract a decent enough time from this sappy affair.

Just who will be amused by James mugging and hugging his way into the heart of a good woman (Rosario Dawson? In your dreams, Kevin!) is a question that simply cannot be answered.

VISIT zookeeper.com.au

Zookeeper (PG)
Director: Frank Coraci
(The Wedding Singer)
Starring: Kevin James and Leslie Bibb (above), Rosario Dawson and the voices of Nick Nolte, Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone, Judd Apatow, Cher.
Watch the animals, and allow for human error.
2 Stars