20th Century Fox
www.meetdave.co.uk
When you hear Eddie Murphy is about to hit the big screen once again, a warm tingly sensation spreads through the soul. From the minute I saw Beverly Hills Cop I thought Murphy was a tremendous actor. He has a willing nature and a laugh that could strip paint as well as get a viewer hooked up in stitches. Unfortunately, there is no funny laughs or tingles spreading anywhere with this film, just a few nudges and that is basically it. I would like you all to, Meet Dave.
Dave is like no one else on planet Earth. Firstly, he isn’t actually from this planet, and secondly he is not a person, or an alien for that matter. Watch out Starship Enterprise, there is a new spacecraft on the loose. Dave is a spaceship made in the image of its captain, and piloted by a crew of many tiny individual’s, each becoming more human natured the longer they stay on the Planet, and try to find a gadget that soaks up the salt from the seas as a new power source for their own planet. The methods of how these miniature men, and women, change vary from developing attractions to the opposite gender, a taste for music, becoming more violent or transforming their sexual orientation; all of which can occasionally cause laughs but will not have you in stitches.
This is one of the problems with this flick. There are hiccups of humour every so often, but rarely do you jump with shock or bow with laughter. Whether it is the Dave spaceship sharpening pencils up his nose, pooping money to pay for goods or singing Bee Gee’s songs in that high pitch voice, to comical lines such as one of the miniature men stating “we had a gas leek, it was silent but deadly” upon reviewing the damage caused by the crash.
Eddie Murphy has had quite a history in the movie industry. From playing a badass cop (Beverley Hills Cop), the blubbery science geek (Nutty Professor), the strange voice of a donkey (Shrek) and a father with concerns (Daddy Day Care). Even with this flick though, his humour seems to be lost once again. Spaceship Dave attempting to imitate smiling is rather unnerving, however his imitation of Marc Blucas is quite amusing.
One of the most fake and unrealistic things about this film was the voice that Murphy gives on the Captain. He seems overly confident to the point his voice is annoyingly cocky, unconvincing and utterly ridiculous.
This is a flick with amazing scenery and a brilliant transportation through the spaceship. One concern I did have through was with the aggressive ending, toilet humour and action this is meant to be a family film. You wonder if a PG certificate was sensible and would a possible 12A seem more appropriate. Other than that, Meet Dave is a half decent funny film with a half decent story line.
Michelle Moore