Preview of the biggest summer movies continues with our coverage of Kung Fu Panda, You Don’t Mess With the Zohan, The Happening, The Incredible Hulk and Get Smart.
Kung Fu Panda (June 6)
Jack Black returns to the big screen as Po the Panda who is a kung fu fanatic, but is not versed in the art-form. Prophecy names Po as "the chosen one", so he must train in order to save the city.
This animated movie has plenty of star power as Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Lucy Liu, and even Jackie Chan lend their voices. As the first big animated film of the season, its chances are plenty good but past Jack Black performances haven’t guaranteed box office success.
Verdict: wait and see something else
You Don’t Mess With the Zohan (June 6)
Adam Sandler plays Zohan, and ex-Israeli commando who fakes his own death in order to pursue his life-long dream, of being a hairdresser in New York. Of course the past catches up to him. Expect a predictable blend of Adam Sandler’s fake accent, over-the-top improbable situations and plenty of homophobic jokes. (A straight male hairdresser? Really?)
Verdict: skip it
The Happening (June 13)
M. Night Shyamalan must be a zombie since he comes back with new movies even though his productions keep bombing with audiences and critics alike. Will this break the streak of mediocre and bad movies for him? When Earth’s vegetation releases toxic neurotoxins that cause anybody who breathe them to commit suicide. A high school science teacher (played by Mark Wahlberg) must escape from the toxins with his family as the world crumbles around them.
This is M. Night Shyamalan’s first R-rated directorial work, and it is sure to include some twist somewhere in the movie.
Verdict: wait and watch something else
The Incredible Hulk (June 13)
The other superhero movie of the season means return of the Hulk. Now Incredible, the new movie attempts to reboot the franchise by disowning Ang Lee’s mess of a movie. Edward Norton plays Bruce Banner as he searches a cure for his disease while, at the same time, battling a supervillain exposed by the same gamma radiation that gave him power.
This movie promises to be more action-oriented (which was good since the last Hulk movie had too much sulking and not enough smashing) and hopefully it will convince enough viewers to give him another chance.
Verdict: wait and watch something else
Get Smart (June 20)
Another TV franchise getting big-screen treatment is Get Smart. Starring Steve Carell as the titular character, Maxwell Smart must work the field after Control is infiltrated and its agents’ secrecies are revealed. Of course, being an analyst not versed in the ways of the field, the move promises plenty of laughs.
As I look at the movie, I can’t help but be reminded by Johnny English, another bumbling idiot that gets to be a spy and save the world… hopefully this will turn out better but if you crave a bit of spy action and comedy, this is a good summer flick.
Verdict: go see it
Tomorrow: The Love Guru, WALL-E, Wanted, Hancock and Hellboy II: The Golden Army
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