The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas
Despite its flaws, the first live action Flintstones film holds a dear place in my heart. I’ll be the first to admit that there is plenty wrong with it, but the nostalgia it carries is more than enough to to let me forgive it. But I remember being eight years old and seeing this sequel for the first time, and even then I felt that something was wrong. There was a disturbance in the force, so to speak. I could never put my pudgy little finger on what it was.
And now that I’m older, I can look back and pinpoint exactly what it was: it sucked. Like, it sucked a lot. Everything that was endearing in the first film was replaced by a Baldwin brother and the guy who played Robert Baratheon in Game of Thrones. Even the story that takes our favorite cavemen to Viva Rock Vegas is just ridiculous, and that’s coming from a guy who giggled at a pterodactyl pooping on an entire town. Alan Cumming’s turn as the Great Gazoo is nothing short of painful, making a headache a full decompression in an airlock chamber.
If that’s not enough, there’s a joke towards the beginning where Fred and Barney ask what shoes are. There’s also a scene where the two eat at a restaurant where the waitresses wear rollerskates. So they can figure out skates, but not shoes. It’s small, but the rest of the movie will be spent comparing everything they’ve created other than shoes. Chew on that brontosaurus burger for a bit.
