The Zookeeper
PG
102 minutes
Director: Frank Coraci
Writers: Nick Bakay, Rock Reuben, Rock Reuben, Kevin James, Jay Scherick, David Ronn, Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Leslie Bibb
The first edition of: “hey that wasn’t as crappy as I thought it was gonna be.”
The more a movie is promoted, the less likely it is to be good. This movie was promoted during the NBA Finals, during every commercial break, about a month before its release date. Kevin James was on every late night show (cable and network TV). It took me a month to watch this entire movie. You would see previews for Mr. Popper’s penguins, and think “wow, that Zookeeper movie doesn’t look as bad as Mr. Poppers Penguins”.
Some of you may be wondering why this is rated PG, as opposed to G. I could be wrong, but I think it’s the interracial romance Griffin (James) and Kate (Dawson); the MPAA does not look too kindly on this sort of thing.
One thing I enjoyed was the Al Pacino playing ‘Donald the Monkey’. Except, Al Pacino was not in the movie at all; as it turns out, the one thing Adam Sandler can do is a good Al Pacino impression.
I was genuinely surprised; if I had I wife and kids, I might take them to this. A standard inoffensive, family film, one that won’t make me angry after exiting the theater, disappointed perhaps…maybe even dead inside. To enjoy this movie as an adult, I would get drunk and high (and I do mean both) before watching it. I recommend watching this on basic cable, flipping back-and-forth, between this and Getting Even With Dad (1994).
I was going to give this 30 out 100. Until I heard a Giraffe died during filming. Additionally, the elephant (Thai) was the same one used in Water For Elephants (I haven’t heard of that movie either). Before filming began, Thai was tortured with electric prods and bullhooks. For the record, I am not down with this; I will have to take off 20 points for this. Don’t watch this movie, ever.
Final Verdict: 10 out of 100.