The best thing I can say for Zookeeper is that I didn’t hate it. I don’t know what it says about me that I know Zookeeper sucks but I still found myself thinking it was as good as any of the other movies I’m reviewing today. Although Captain America, The Devil’s Double, and Friends with Benefits aren’t exactly a high bar. You know what it is? You sit through an onslaught of extremely cynical summer blockbuster entertainment (Bad Teacher, Friends with Benefits, any movie with an explosion) and even the movies that are supposed to seem non-cynical (Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Captain America) really are deep down, and I guess you reach a point where a movie like Zookeeper feels different. I can’t say those that hate this movie are necessarily wrong or that the whole movie tries very hard, but I would probably sit through this again before any other movie reviewed this week. I guess 2012 is closer than we think.
What Worked: Kevin James–who’s like a 300 pound Jeremy Piven–is a loser you root for, and is much more believable in this kind of film than the paycheck cashing Jim Carrey in Mr. Popper’s Penguins. But the movie’s real saving grace in two words: Rosario Dawson. I don’t know how the filmmakers convinced her to be in this or why she took the thankless job of “Girl the Hero Really Should be With” but I could stand to see her brightening up more turds year round. She’s so sweet and sexy and all around crush worthy that it magnifies the film’s biggest problem…
What Doesn’t Work: The movie isn’t really about the animals or the zoo itself. Much of it is about Kevin James’s character trying to win over this obviously bad for him gold digger (played by Leslie Bibb who seems to specialize in the role of gold diggers in broad comedies), and so Zookeeper’s core demographic of children are going to be pretty bored during the scenes that take place away from the zoo which is probably half the movie. So it feels like a drag from the stuff kids will like (a gorilla at TGIFriday’s) but also squanders Dawson into a too-small supporting role.
What I Would Have Done Differently: Kept the central premise of James’s Zookeeper talking to animals to figure out dating tips but had Dawson the object of his affection the entire time. Then more of the movie could have taken place at the zoo and you’d have a more enjoyable love story from the jump.
Im surprised you like tis movie…jus dosn’t seem like something u would go for
Thanks for taking one for the team, only way I would watch this movie is if I was getting paid.