# Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, The (2000)

### reviewed by
Brandon Herring

    Rating: * * out of * * * *

Rated PG: sexual innuendo and humor, language, mild slapstick violence.

Starring: Mark Addy, Kirsten Johnston, Jane Krowkowski Stephen Baldwin, Alan Cumming, Joan Collins, Voice of Rosie O' Donnell. Running time: 90 minutes

    Directed by: Brian Levant.

In 1994, a family film opened with a 37.2 million dollar weekend, and went on to gross a little under $140m. That film was based on a hugely popular cartoon entitled "The Flintstones"...the movies name? The Flinstones. The huge hit starred John Goodman as Fred Flintstone, Rick Moranis as Barney, Elizabeth Perkins as Wilma and Rosie O'Donnel as Betty. The co-stars were Joan Collins, Kyle McLachlan and Halle Berry. It was a very good family movie, with some terrific acting and special effects. Now in 2000 we get the long-awaited sequel "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas", which isn't as good as the first movie.

Now the worst thing about the film is the actors: Mark Addy (an english guy) as Fred Flintstone who was previously in the great film "The Full Monty" gives a terrible performance as Fred. Stephen Baldwin (LOL) as Barney...is well indescribably bad, but the two stars that shine in the lead roles is Kirsten Johnston as Wilma, and Jane Krowkowski as Better. Kirsten who is in the NBC show "3rd Rock From the Sun" plays Wilma very well, and brings her characteristics out, as well as her character herself. Jane who is on the huge show "Ally McBeal" is beautiful as Betty, and makes me wonder why Rosie O'Donnell was picked to play Betty in the first film. She fits the character greatly, looks like Betty, and acts like Betty. Mark Addy is a great actor, but just doesn't have the capacities to play Fred Flintstone, he doesn't look like Fred, act like Fred nor does he talk like Fred. Now for Stephen Baldwin, although he looks like Barney, he doesn't have the mental capacity to play him, because to me Barney is smarter.

Now for the plot of the movie: Years before Fred and Wilma meet, years before Barney and Betty meet, Fred wishes for the person that is meant for him to be out there, and Wilma wishes to go to Bedrock and out of her rich home. Wilma leaves and meets Betty and moves in with her. They become best friends, as is Fred and Barney. Fred and Barney meet Wilma and Betty at a Burger King type of place, and they go on a double date, only to have several misadventures such as Chip Rockefeller trying to woo Wilma to marry him and get rid of Fred, and a little alien who is sent to Earth to study the human mating rituals. The story is quite good, and tells alot about the Flintstones past, and is well developed, like how Dino came along, how they got married, and how they lived.

The major flaw in this film is the cast though, we could have easily gotten a better Fred and Barney, but Wilma and Betty are priceless, the great supporting cast includes: Joan Collins as Wilma's mother, Thomas Gibson as Chip, and several other cameos. The movie has some great sequences, and the special effects are quite well developed, but it's missing the charm of the first film, as well as the comedy. This one seems to be directed towards adults, and contains some sexual humor that at times for a PG film is quite frank. It's not a terrible film, but I could have wished for a better Flintstones movie, with a much better cast.

Reviewed by Brandon Herring 4/28/00 For more reviews please visit MOVIE REVIEW CENTRAL at http://www.geocities.com/moviefan983/moviereviewcentral.html

    Email me at MovieFan983@aol.com

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