Simply Perfect

Pretty Good

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Reunion shows are usually a mixed bag. On the one hand, it is always tempting to see your favorite shows as a kid and recapture past viewing pleasure. On the flip side, many of these re-makes are not well done, and they negate the good memories these shows hold. The Dukes Of Hazzard Reunion does a credible job for the most part of honoring the original series, providing a plausible storyline and not straying too far from the original concept.The show opens by getting us reacquainted with the principal characters as one by one they converge on Uncle Jesse's farm. Bo is now a professional race car driver. Luke works for the Forestry Service. Cooter is a congressman, while Daisy is a grad student at (appropriately) Duke University. While Enos works for the LAPD- a nod to his departure from the original series- Roscoe has inherited the deceased Boss Hogg's fortune and is double dipping as both Sheriff AND County Commissioner. The Duke clan must stop crooked land developer Mama Max (Stella Stevens) from building a theme park in Hazzard Swamp- the land on which the Duke Farm sits. Along the way, we're treated to the usual hi-jinks which characterized the series; car chases, bumbling cops, not-too-bright criminals and fun and adventure with our two principal stars and the most famous Dodge Charger in history. It is a theme that works well because of its familiarity."The Dukes" is not without some sadness and regret. The late Sorrell Booke, a wonderful character actor who masterfully portrayed Boss Hogg, is not on hand (There is a wonderful, touching scene in which a tearful Rosco speaks to a painting of Boss in his office). Denver Pyle (Uncle Jesse) was ill with cancer when this movie was made yet gamely soldiered on. Gone is Waylon Jennings, the deep voiced country music legend and Dukes Balladeer. And those expecting to see sexpot Catherine Bach- the object of every male fantasy in the 80's- will surely be a bit disappointed, as age has made her a mere mortal.Despite these factors, the original Dukes Of Hazzard holds fond personal memories of childhood, and this movie brought many of them back while successfully paying tribute to the series.

Tom Wopat and John Schneider revive their 80's characters as, once again, the "Good Ol' Boys" rise up against corruption in the South, this time in the form of a businesswoman (Stevens), with the help of some friends from the old series.You know, I grew up in the Dukes' era, and I was mildly surprised at how good of a job director Lewis Teague did with this film. I know that the original series has some corny plots by what we see nowadays, but, for those of us who grew up in that time, there wasn't one of us alive who enjoyed the original series without picturing themselves behind the wheel of the General Lee. (I had to mention the car - after all, it was the car(s) that made the jump, not those boys.) A little older, perhaps, but the actors walked in and picked up on their original characters like they've been doing them for the last twenty years.

It is quite rare for a TV reunion movie to be as good as a series itself but this Dukes of Hazzard movie was great.The original Dukes of Hazzard series was just plain fun-it was the type of show anyone could enjoy. This movie recreated the magic of the original series and even though the stars were a lot older that made absolutely no difference to me-I still liked them and they were still convincing in their roles.The movie may not have had Boss Hogg in but to it's credit they did acknowledge Boss Hogg unlike some TV reunion movies which seem to forget certain characters.A great film which will be loved by fans of the TV series.

Ah, such sweet memories. The squeal of tyres on mud (!), the gratuitous bums in tight shorts shots, the sped up action sequences and Daisy Duke (looking a little less fantastic than I remember, but still a fine lookin' woman) - does it get any better? Well, it might've been had Boss Hogg still been with us. :( Damned funny watching them all run around, a little pudgy and wrinkly but, rest-assured, it's still full of the good old fashioned Duke over-acting complete with woeful plot. :) Dem Good Ol' Duke Boys haven't changed much; I swear Bo is still wearing the same jeans he wore back in '77. So, if y'all get a chance to watch this reunion, git on down to the Boar's Nest, sink a couple of brews and let out an old "Yeee Ha!" for old times sake. But drive home safe, ya hear!