Furry Vengeance (film)
Animals may not have been hurt in Furry Vengeance, but Brendan Fraser's career sure is. The cheerless animal 'comedy' relies on tired, predictable gags, trying to squeeze laughter out of the audience.
Fraser plays Dan Sanders, an eco-conscious executive who is put in charge of paving over a forest to make room for housing. The forest is home to all kind of creatures, who seek to stop the project by targeting Dan.
You can't help but feel sorry for Fraser, who does the best he can with the material. Dan is worryingly stupid but ultimately harmless and Fraser's over-acting is almost endearing. The actor submits himself to all sorts of slapstick humiliation, culminating in Dan wearing a bra. All the other characters are two-dimensional, each with a single repeated joke and painfully stock personality.
The creatures are a mix of well-trained animals and CGI, which creates an uncomfortable blend of cute and horrifying. Thankfully, the animals do not speak, communicating in thought bubbles and gestures instead. From defecating birds to bear chases, their attacks lack originality and humour and, frankly, insult the audience's intelligence. Preaching environmentalism is fine, but it helps when the raccoon isn't made of cardboard.
Small children might be mildly entertained by Furry Vengeance, but anyone not impressed by the idea of Fraser in women's clothes should steer clear.
