Years after the family have grown up and gone their separate ways, Uncle Jessie organises a reunion to bring all the clan back together again for a party. Once Luke, Bo, Daisy and Cooter are all back he tells them that he needs help to fight a property developer who is trying to build a theme park on the swamp and build access across his property. The developer challenges the boys to a race her stock car against theirs with the winner taking all. When Daisy makes a discovery that all may not be what it appears she is kidnapped can the boys rescue Daisy and win the race?
I watched the TV show when I was younger but I can't remember much beyond comedy lawmen, Daisy's body and car chase after car chase, so maybe this film wasn't aimed at me but I watched it anyway. The reunion has a thin plot that is a little daffy but done with a slight bit of tongue in cheek. It gets a little stretched at times (the final race is a bit of a joke) as it takes on too many commitments without fitting them in well, but the light tone helps this.
The comedy is gentle and helps the film generally. The car chases are quite basic but there are one or two moments where the stunt drivers deserve a lot of credit (a mid air collision is a high point) but the really cheap back projection spoils any illusion of who is in the cars for real. If you were looking for genuine tension or excitement then you're in the wrong place I'm afraid.
The cast look genuinely happy to be back and there is a respectful tone for those who had died since the TV show wrapped Booke's Boss Hog being the biggest loss I think. However everyone does what they are supposed to do. Uncle Jessie doesn't look that much older, Wopat and Schneider enjoy themselves and Bach still looks good despite not quite having the same body that she had as a youngster! Best reprises his role well and also covers for the loss of Booke. The addition of some martial arts action in the shape of Cynthia Rothrock adds a little spice to the mix and stops it becoming old too quickly.
Overall this is all a bit silly and is probably best served to fans however there is enough fun here to justify those of us who watched the series but wouldn't call ourselves fans.
I watched the TV show when I was younger but I can't remember much beyond comedy lawmen, Daisy's body and car chase after car chase, so maybe this film wasn't aimed at me but I watched it anyway. The reunion has a thin plot that is a little daffy but done with a slight bit of tongue in cheek. It gets a little stretched at times (the final race is a bit of a joke) as it takes on too many commitments without fitting them in well, but the light tone helps this.
The comedy is gentle and helps the film generally. The car chases are quite basic but there are one or two moments where the stunt drivers deserve a lot of credit (a mid air collision is a high point) but the really cheap back projection spoils any illusion of who is in the cars for real. If you were looking for genuine tension or excitement then you're in the wrong place I'm afraid.
The cast look genuinely happy to be back and there is a respectful tone for those who had died since the TV show wrapped Booke's Boss Hog being the biggest loss I think. However everyone does what they are supposed to do. Uncle Jessie doesn't look that much older, Wopat and Schneider enjoy themselves and Bach still looks good despite not quite having the same body that she had as a youngster! Best reprises his role well and also covers for the loss of Booke. The addition of some martial arts action in the shape of Cynthia Rothrock adds a little spice to the mix and stops it becoming old too quickly.
Overall this is all a bit silly and is probably best served to fans however there is enough fun here to justify those of us who watched the series but wouldn't call ourselves fans.