“The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee” is not a very good film, but as a person who watched the original “Crocodile Dundee” films, it was like catching up with an old friend but knowing you may not see that old friend ever again and enjoying the moment. Nothing more, nothing less.
TITLE: The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee
YEAR OF FILM: 2020
DURATION: 88 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: Black and White, 2:35:1 Aspect Ratio, Dolby Digital 5.1, English SDH and Spanish Subtitles
COMPANY: grindstone/LIONSGATE
RATED: PG-13
RELEASED: February 16, 2021
Directed by Dean Murphy
Written by Robert Mond, Dean Murphy
Produced by Dean Murphy, Nigel Odell
Executive PRoducer: Christopher Figg, Sherman Ng, Robert Whitehouse
Associate Producer: Robert Mond
Music by John Foreman
Cinematography by Roger Lanser
Edited by Peter Carrodus, Sean Courtney Lewis, Robert Mond
Casting by Bec Asha
Production Design by Ralph Moser
Art Direction by Blossom Flint
Costume Design by Jeanie Cameron
Starring:
Paul Hogan as Paul
Rachael Carpani as Angie
Reginald VelJohnson as Reggie
Chevy Chase
John Cleese as John
Jacob Elordi as Chase
Olivia Newton John
Luke Hemsworth
Jim Jeffries
Wayne Knight as Wayne
Nate Torrence as Luke
Kerry Armstrong as Ella
Charlotte Stent as Lucy
Paul Hogan plays himself in this raucous comedy. Retired in L.A. and overshadowed by his Crocodile Dundee character, Hogan is offered a knighthood by the Queen of England. But before he can accept it, Hogan gets caught up in a series of comical scandals that dominate gossip shows and social media feeds. Can he keep his reputation clean long enough to hang onto his prize — and his dignity?
It was back in 1986, when out of Australia, an independent film starring Paul Hogan as a character known as “Crocodile Dundee” would become a phenomenon.
Created with a budget of $10 million, the film would go on to make over $328 million and have a trilogy of films. But the film would become the biggest box office film of Australia and was the #2 biggest box office film in the United States that year (#1 was “Top Gun”, but surpassing major films such as “Platoon”, “The Karate Kid Part II”, “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”).
Needless to say, Paul Hogan became a popular star in Australia, while outside of Australia, he would become known as “Crocodile Dundee”, an image which stuck to him for many years. And while the man known as “Hoges” would go on to have a career in Australia and has done many commercials.
While many American’s haven’t heard from Paul Hogan in decades, in Australia, he had been featured in newspapers for long battles against the Australian Tax Office, divorces while still maintaining a career.
Producer Dean Murphy who created films starring Paul Hogan such as the successful “Strange Bedfellows” (2004) and “Charlie & Boots” (2009) would direct a film starring Paul Hogan, co-written with Robert Mond titled “The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee” which was released on Amazon Prime Video in July 2020.
The film would star Paul Hogan as himself, an actor who has had amazing success as “Crocodile Dundee” and many American entertainment shows wondering, what ever happened to Paul Hogan?
His agent Angie (portrayed by Rachael Carpani) wants to get him back in the limelight but things don’t go well. At a golfing event, the kids think Hogan and his character Crocodile Dundee are the same and he ends up hitting a snake with a golf club landing on a woman’s face.
When meeting with his agency, the older Paul Hogan is trying to get used to today’s Hollywood and they want to to create a new “Crocodile Dundee” but feature actor Will Smith as his son. But Paul feels it’s not possible, not because Will Smith is an older actor but because he is Black which offends his agency. And when Paul Hogan sees a Crocodile Dundee impersonator on Hollywood Boulevard making money off his name and gives him a talking to, when the impersonator’s kids try to hit Paul, people take photos and news on entertainment shows show that he was trying to hurt two young children.
Needless to say, Paul Hogan’s comeback has become controversial and it gives Angie a headache because the Queen of England wants to knight Paul. But Paul is wondering why, since he’s known for his role as “Crocodile Dundee”.
But he decides to do so as his granddaughter has moved and is trying to make new friends and doesn’t want her to be affected in school because of his actions and wants to see her grandfather get knighted.
Meanwhile, his son Chase (portrayed by Jacob Elordi) is a multi-faceted young man who runs a nightclub at their home, teaches aerobics, plays the guitar and sings.
While Paul is the subject on entertainment shows (not so good due to recent actions), while living in the US, his dream is to go back home to Australia.
His friends want to help him out, from actor Reggie (portrayed by Reginald VelJohnson) who was known for his roles in the past on the “Die Hard” 1 & 2 films and his role on the TV series “Family Matters”, Olivia (Olivia Newton John) who is hosting a fundraiser with “Grease” as the theme and because John Travolta can’t make it, she asks her good friend Paul to appear.
Meanwhile, his friend Wayne (Wayne Knight of “Jurassic Park” and “Seinfeld”) is trying to get away from the kids and trying to ignite his career in musicals and then there is Chevy Chase.
But with Paul’s actions for his comeback always getting negative press, will the actor find any happiness?
VIDEO & AUDIO:
“The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee” is presented in 2:35:1 aspect ratio and Dolby Digital 5.1. For better picture quality and audio, the film is available in HD.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee” comes witha making of.
Prior to watching “The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee”, I thought this was the fourth film in the “Crocodile Dundee” series. In a way, I was a bit dreading it because the third film was just not good at all but at the same time, I was one of those people in the audience who went to see the original film and the second film in the theater.
But “The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee” is a comedy film that pokes fun or has some ties to the actual life of Paul Hogan.
From one, being typecast forever in the US as “Crocodile Dundee”, trying to get into a relationship again as a long part of his life was being married and his desire to be back home in Australia.
What’s interesting is how Paul Hogan’s return to the Hollywood limelight, filmmaker Dean Murphy was able to get many Australian stars past and present to make cameos in this film.
From “Entertainment Tonight” stars, Luke Hemsworth, Jim Jeffries, Luke Bracey and the film would star John Cleese, Chevy Chase, Olivia Newton John, Reginald VelJohnson, Wayne Knight and many more.
I liken the film as friends creating a film with their fellow friends and actors (there is many of these in Hollywood) and making a film out of it.
One can see it as a film trying to revitalize the career of Paul Hogan while others may see the film as Paul finding peace with a long career and is in his 80s but passing the torch through this film and Paul saying goodbye to “Crocodile Dundee” and focusing on new interests.
Granted, the film is not an autobiographical film but with director/producer Dean Murphy having worked with Paul Hogan for several films, I would imagine that this film incorporates experiences and thoughts of the real Paul Hogan but in someway for me, I felt this film was Paul Hogan saying goodbye to the “Crocodile Dundee” character which has given him success but has since moved on away from it. People still see him as Crocodile Dundee, but if people want to see that facet of him, there are other ways they can do so.
Overall, “The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee” is not a very good film, but as a person who watched the original “Crocodile Dundee” films, it was like catching up with an old friend but knowing you may not see that old friend ever again and enjoying the moment. Nothing more, nothing less.