ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, May 18, 1996 TAG: 9605200035
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: B-12 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: MOVIE REVIEW
SOURCE: KATHERINE REED STAFF WRITER
Hey, moms and dads - remember Sandy, the boy from "Flipper"? Well, he's wearing a Smashing Pumpkins T-shirt now, and he's really bummed 'cause his uncle made him miss the Red Hot Chili Peppers concert.
In fact, Sandy's biggest problem in this very-much-updated version of the television show is that he's so cool, he can barely get over himself. And it creates lots of problems for his laid-back Uncle Porter (Paul Hogan) - and for anyone trying to sit without squirming through the first part of it.
The 7-year-old sitting beside me inquired almost continuously for roughly the movie's first third, "When is it going to be over?" And this is a child who has sat unsquirmingly through the slow-paced (but beautiful) "Secret of Roan Innish" not once, but twice.
The problem?
"Flipper's" writer-director, Alan Shapiro. For example, he has Elijah Wood (Sandy) remain entirely expressionless while several dolphins are being shot to death right in front of him in a very early scene. I don't care how "cool" this kid is supposed to be, he'd have to be out cold or the product of an extremely violent, soul-numbing culture (hmmmm ... ) to not have at least SOME reaction to the sight.
And then there's the movie's sleepy pace. I always thought the "Flipper" TV show was kind of boring, and it could be that Shapiro meant to re-create that program's mood. But it's very hard for children - most of all the age group the movie seems to want as its audience - to watch movies these days without some small payoffs here or there.
There aren't many in this movie until about halfway through, when Sandy takes off the super-cool sunglasses and takes on the responsibility of his newfound friend.
That's when this movie earned my affection. I like the idea of taking on the concept of "cool" and striding bravely in the direction of Corn Central to redefine it.
"Cool," for example - according to "Flipper" - is taking risks for love, showing affection for other people, even if you're a guy, and keeping your commitments. These aren't just Sandy's lessons, either; they're lessons for his Uncle Porter, too, a sun-scorched case of arrested development.
There are LOTS of improbabilities in the script (like the fact that the dolphin is quite obviously fully trained), and the theme song is just as hokey as the old, ``Flipper, flipper ...'' number from the show. But older kids (maybe 8-14) with a particular interest in things aquatic will probably take the bait.
Want to talk about the movies? E-mail Katherine at movieyak.aol.com
FLIPPER
HH1/2
A Universal Pictures-Bubble Factory release showing at Valley View Mall 6 and Salem Valley 8. Rated PG for some violence.
B
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Elijah Wood plays a boy who meets up with a feistyby CNBorphaned dolphin in "Flipper". color.