The Duke boys return in a direct to DVD prequel that is even more painful to watch than the 2005 big screen adaptation of the classic television series.
The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning (which is now out in an unrated DVD version) was directed by Robert Berlinger (who has made a name for himself as a television director on various series such as “Arrested Development”) and was written by Shane Morris (his first attempt as a screenwriter). Willie Nelson returns as the “new” Uncle Jesse, but no other cast members of the big screen adaptation of the Duke story are in the film.
Uncle Jesse is always there to help the Duke boys
Sadly, this is actually a bad thing. Instead, we get a new Boss Hogg (played by Christopher McDonald), and younger versions of Bo Duke (Jonathan Bennett, Mean Girls), Luke Duke (Randy Wayne, ABC's “Sons and Daughters”), cousin Daisy (April Scott), and Cooter (Joel Moore).
The film’s plot fits into any of the Dukes of Hazzard storylines – teenaged Bo and Luke Duke are arrested and sent to live with their Uncle Jesse for the summer. There they meet up with cousin Daisy; make a new friend named Cooter (who seems a bit gayer than he did in the classic series); and have to save the family farm through their supped up orange 1969 Dodge Charger dubbed The General Lee. Of course, saving the farm also involves breaking a few speeding laws, transporting moonshine, and stopping Boss Hogg’s plans to become the only moonshine runner in the state.
The film’s plot is not that bad, and fits into the Dukes of Hazzard mythos that was established in the classic television series. However, like the big screen adaptation that preceded the prequel, this is NOT the Dukes of Hazzard that people loved watching on television. Instead, this is a pale attempt to cash in on the things that made that series great, and at times very boring to sit through. The jokes are lame and stale. The acting is borderline horrible, and teenage Duke boys just don’t pull off the same southern charm and confidence as their older screen versions.
Thankfully, Willie Nelson is in the movie enough to matter, and brings the same charisma that the late Denver Pyle brought to the Uncle Jesse character. Nelson adds some of his own Southern background to the role, and (like Pyle) seems born to play the role. He provides some needed laughs at various times, but isn’t in the movie enough to save it from the rest of the cast.
Everyone knows the real star of the Dukes of Hazzard television series and the 2005 movie was the General Lee, and it is the best part of this prequel as well. Unfortunately, it is not in the film enough to even help save it. There are some decent car chases (especially towards the end), but there is far too much of the young actors hamming it up and trying to appeal to the tweenie market.
The new Daisy Duke
Even the “big” car chase at the end of the film is not as great as just kicking back to watch the classic series on one of the many television channels that it still airs on. At least, the people behind the big screen adaptation of the series managed to get the big car chase scenes right, and filled the film full of the General Lee ripping up the screen.
The unrated version of the DVD (which is displayed prominently on the cover across Daisy’s chest) may raise some hopes that the film will be as raunchy as the big screen adaptation, but don’t count on it. The film (which has already aired a few times on the ABC Family Channel) has a few nude scenes cut in for the “dirty” factor, but it is nothing more than an attempt to help sell it to a new young audience used to comedies like American Pie.
The DVD comes loaded with special features that will take you inside the new Duke world. They include several featurettes: "The New Dukes," "Daisy's Dukes," "The Birth of the General Lee," "A Moment with Uncle Jesse," "Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane." There are a couple of featurettes that are exclusive to the unrated version of the DVD: "The Duke Boys in Drag" and "Meeting Dainty Hogg." Finally, there is a music video for “Duke Boys Swinging’” which features country music stars Cowboy Troy and John Anderson.
Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning is a disappointment to any fan of the original series. While the plot isn’t half bad, the film lacks any of the magic that the television show managed to capture. Instead, we get the same old jokes, and a pale imitation of a classic television series.
The real star of the movie
Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
AdnanMar 19th, 2007 - 22:31:53
Damn, I had such high hopes for this. I can't understand how it all went wrong.
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