Review - The Flintstones (1994)

        Hey guys, Chuck here. After taking a look at the 2002 film Scooby-Doo, it only made sense to dive into another live-action adaptation of a classic Hannah-Barbera cartoon. So, this is my review of the 1994 film The Flintstones, released by Universal Pictures, directed by Brian Levant, and starring John Goodman, Elizabeth Perkins, Rick Moranis, Rosie O'Donnell, Kyle MacLachlan, Halle Berry, Jonathan Winters, Richard Moll, and Elizabeth Taylor. 

       The movie opens at the offices of Slate and Co. in Bedrock, where Cliff Vandercave is plotting a money embezzling scheme, where Cliff and his assistant Ms. Sharon Stone (no, seriously, that's actually the character's name) will live large on Mr. Slate's money on the beaches of Rocapulco, and all they need for the scheme to work is a complete ignoramus from the rock quarry. 

       After a recreation of the iconic Flintstones intro, we start the movie proper, where Fred and Barney return home from work at the quarry. At home, Wilma confronts Fred about money missing from their account, and Fred reveals he gave it to Barney so that Barney and Betty would be able to adopt a child. Wilma then reveals how proud she is of Fred, who adds that he also bought a new bowling ball. 

       At the adoption agency, Barney and Betty are introduced to the little boy they'll be giving a home to: Bamm-Bamm. Unfortunately, Bamm-Bamm is a bit rough around the edges, has superhuman strength, and has a bit of a challenge adjusting to his new home. But Bamm-Bamm does eventually begin to feel at home, and even becomes friends with Fred and Wilma's daughter Pebbles. It's here where we see Fred and Barney at the bowling alley, where Fred wins the big bowling tournament for his bowling team, the Water Buffalos. Before indulging in a massive mug of booze, Barney makes a speech dedicated to Fred, and promises to pay back his generosity. Said generosity is frowned upon by Wilma's mother, Pearl Slaghoople, who has a serious disdain for Fred. 

       The next day, Cliff announces an Executive Placement Program, where the one who scores the highest on an aptitude test will be named an executive at Slate and Co. On the day of the test, Fred does poorly, but Barney, who did exceptionally well, swapped tests with Fred, this Fred is made an executive. To be specific, Vice President of Industrial Procurement. And, this comes complete with Free getting his own office, desk, Ms. Stone as a secretary, and even a Dictabird. 

       Among the many things Cliff has Fred do are as follows: fire Barney, which forces the Rubbles to rent out their house and move in with the Flintstones, sign a bunch of requisition forms which will modernize the quarry with steam-powered automated machines, and finally sign some forms that Cliff tells Fred will give the employees of the quarry some much deserved vacation time, but instead causes them to be fired and outraged at Fred. Also, Cliff gives Fred a massive bonus, which he used to get a new car, new renovations for the house, a hot tub, and a night out with Wilma at a very fancy restaurant. 

      Unfortunately, at the restaurant, Barney (who works there as a busboy) sees what happened to the workers at the quarry, and he and Fred, who is completely ignorant to the truth, argue about it, as do Wilma and Betty, and the Rubbles movie out, as do Wilma and Pebbles. Fred uncovers the truth, and Cliff points out that the "bonus money" was all to frame Fred as an embezzler, and the Bedrock Police are now looking for him as a result. Wilma and Betty, meanwhile, watch TV and see something that might clear Fred of the false embezzlement charges: the Dictabird. 

      On the run, Fred winds up confronted, and nearly lynched, by his former co-workers, and Barney shows up in his snow cone truck, and admits that he's part of the reason for Fred's current predicament, and is rung up to be launched alongside Fred. The two friends reconcile, and their wives show up with the Dictabird, who demands an apology from Fred. Fred apologizes to the Dictabird, who then relays the truth to the mob. However, Cliff saw Wilma and Betty make off with the Dictabird, and proceeds to kidnap Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm, taking them to the modernized quarry, and he demands the Dictabird be handed over, which Fred agrees to in exchange for the safe return of the children. The Dictabird, who walks over to Cliff, mutters to himself "I should've signed with Disney. They NEVER would have allowed this sort of thing to happen." Okay, that's actually pretty funny. 

      Anyway, Barney goes to save Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm, Fred goes to destroy the machinery, and Ms. Stone even helps out by knocking Cliff out. But, the overloaded machine causes stone crumblings to mix with water, and the mixture goes down the cliffs and covers Cliff with the substance, encasing him into a solid form. The Dictabird reveals the truth to the police, and Fred is cleared of all charges. But, Mr. Slate wants to know what happened to Cliff, and admits to liking the new material, giving it the name of concrete (after his daughter, apparently), and admits that the Stone Age is over. And, he wants Fred by his side as President of the Concrete Division. But, Fred declines after seeing what wealth and power turned him into. Instead, he makes a few requests: his old job in the quarry, two weeks paid vacation for all the quarry workers, and ketchup packets in the lunch room. And, the movie ends with a recreation of the classic closing segment from the cartoon. 

      So, much like with Scooby-Doo, The Flintstones is not a particularly great movie. The plot was a bit to overly complicated for something like The Flintstones. But, on a more positive note, the cast was pretty on point. John Goodman and Elizabeth Perkins were spot-on choices for Fred and Wilma, as was Rick Moranis as Barney. I admittedly enjoyed both Kyle MacLachlan as Cliff and Halle Berry as Ms. Stone. Both Jonathan Winters and Elizabeth Taylor, the latter of whom was Wilma's mother Pearl, were also fantastic, as was Harvey Korman as the voice of the Dictabird. Unfortunately, however, I feel that Rosie O'Donnell was the wrong choice to portray Betty. The set design and the combination of practical and digital effects for the dinosaurs were also fantastic. 

       Overall, The Flintstones was a product of it's time, and was certainly more for the kids who grew up with this movie at a time when the cartoon was in reruns. Does it hold up? Not by much. But, it's still a fairly entertaining movie. 

      Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you in the next review.