Zookeeper: What Went Wrong?
Frank Coraci's new comedy Zookeeper has opened to poor reception in the US; the film's schlocky gags and poor script have been panned by critics. Despite the film's critical reception, it has fared well financially, grossing well over $100,000,000 at the box office. Why is this?
The film's star-studded cast did little to detract audiences from the film's premise: a group of animals vowing to help a zookeeper find true love. Kevin James's performance as Griffin, the pursuer of love, has done little to win the hearts of viewers. The same goes for Rosario Dawson; her role as vet Kate has not been well-received. Leslie Bibb (Stephanie), Donnie Wahlberg (Shane), Nat Faxon (Dave) and Joe Rogan (Gale) have all experienced criticism of similar magnitude.
The film's voice artistry, whilst amusing, has also failed to gain the affection of viewers. Names as big as Cher, Nick Nolte, Sly Stallone, Adam Sandler, Jon Favreau, Jim Bruer and Don Rickles have done little to improve the credibility of this film. The only thing the film's star-studded cast is good for here is its marketability. I understand that Corarci employed the services of actors like Sandler in previous films of his, such as The Waterboy and Click, but his re-employment has, ultimately, proven unsuccessful.
Despite the film's big cast and solid financial return, Zookeeper has done little to gain the attention of audiences. It features well-known actors from both film and television circuits and markets itself as a family-frinedly comedy, but it has failed to hit younger and older audiences. Any opinions on the film? What went wrong?
By Chris Traficante