Dukes of Hazzard

Back in the late 1970's and early 1980's, there was a television show about a family who lived in the rural area of Georgia and spent most of its time trying to escape the wrath of corrupt law enforcement who was constantly interfering with its livelihood. The family members always seemed to escape harm and justice prevailed but it didn't stop the county government from continuing to devise schemes to make their lives miserable. The show I'm talking about is the Dukes of Hazzard and in this movie remake of the television classic viewers get to revisit the Duke boys, Uncle Jesse, Cooter, and the rest of the gang as they once again have to face down the pesky law enforcement personnel of the county government.

Movie Facts:

Rating: PG-13
Format: Color
Director: Jay Chandrasekhar
Screenplay/Writing Credits: Gy Waldron, John O'Brien
Theatrical Release Date: August 5, 2005
Movie Length: 106 Minutes

Cast: Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott, Willie Nelson, Burt Reynolds, Jessica Simpson, M.C. Gainey, Lynda Carter, Michael Weston, David Koechner, Jack Polick, Steve Lemme, Alice Greczyn, Michael Roof, James Roday,

Contents of This Movie:

Bo Duke (played by Seann William Scott) and his cousin Luke Duke (played by Johnny Knoxville) are two good ol' boys who love their car, hot women, and family life. The local lawmakers are always giving them a hard time about something, often planting evidence so they can justify arresting the two cousins and their other family members, Daisy Duke (played by Jessica Simpson) and Uncle Jesse (played by Willie Nelson).

County commissioner Jefferson Davis Hogg (played by Burt Reynolds) has always had it in for the Duke family, and now he has a new trick up his sleeve. He has a plan to take over the Duke family property- and many others' properties- so that he can start a mining operation. His chief side man, Sheriff Rocso P. Coltraine (played by M.C. Gainey), is in hot pursuit of the Dukes and wants nothing more than to lock them up or chase them out of Hazzard County forever. Deputies Enos Strate (played by Michael Weston) and Cletus (played by Jack Polick) offer what little help they can, even though they aren't always supportive of Boss Hogg and his corrupt schemes.

While Boss Hogg is trying to evict citizens from their homes for his own personal gain, there is a major road rally going on in Hazzard County. Bo Duke is anxious to enter the race with his beloved General Lee automobile. But he and Luke have a lot of work ahead of them as they try to thwart the efforts of Boss Hogg and Sheriff Coltraine to steal the family property.

Final Thoughts:

"Dukes of Hazzard" is a fast- paced movie that is based on the old television show of the same name. The cast of characters is back in this movie, with a new set of actors and actresses taking on the roles of the Duke family, its chief nemesis Boss Hogg, the sheriff, and the deputies of Hazzard County.

This movie moves at a fast clip and it finds the Duke boys racing all over the county and through the city streets of Atlanta as they try to find answers to questions that will save the family farm. Along the way, they run some moonshine, meet some hot women, and find themselves in constant trouble with the law. Back in Hazzard County, there is a road rally about to take place and Bo Duke wants to make sure he is there when the time comes for the race to start. He has won this race many times before and he isn't about to let another opportunity for victory pass him by.

The plot of this movie gets a little loopy at times, but in many ways it reminds me of the plots of the original television series. The part where they drive into Atlanta to a local university to find out about a substance discovered in Boss Hogg's safe is different from the series, but the basics are similar. Just like on the television show, Boss Hogg and Sheriff Coltraine are busy looking for corrupt ways to make money. And, once again, they have tried to frame the Duke family. It is up to Bo and Luke to solve the crisis and save the day.

Aside from the basic underlying plot, there isn't really much in this movie that parallels the television show, and this could make the movie a disappointment for those who are looking for a retelling of the hit television series. With the exception of Enos, the characters here are very different from those on television. Johnny Knoxville and Seann William Scott do offer some decent chemistry onscreen, but they are not that much like the Bo and Luke Duke that I remember from television. First of all, the two guys in the movie have a combined IQ around 90. On television, Bo and Luke weren't exactly Rhodes Scholars, but they did have some good sense and they were able to solve many problems, both with their own family crises and with troubles surrounding the corrupt county government. Second, the movie versions of Bo and Luke are more concerned with getting laid than anything else. In the television show, there wasn't much extracurricular activity going on for either Bo or Luke. They were too busy fighting with the law to have any time for women.

Johnny Knoxville and Seann William Scott, however, are among the better elements of this film. I didn't like Willie Nelson at all in his role as Uncle Jesse. He looks a little bit like the original (played by Denver Pyle on television), but his character is flat and boring. He tells a few jokes in the movie, but he lacks determination and guts- two qualities that the television version of Uncle Jesse had in great abundance. Even when Willie Nelson seems upset- like when he learns that Boss Hogg is going to take the family farm- his acting is completely off the mark. His character is about as threatening as Flash, Sheriff Coltraine's basset hound "police" dog.

Speaking of Roscoe P. Coltraine, his character is more serious than the one on TV. So is Boss Hogg, and Burt Reynolds doesn't seem like a very good choice to play the role of the devious county commissioner who endeared himself to fans of the television show through the comic acting of Sorrell Booke. I'm not sure why director Jay Chandrasekhar decided to cast Reynolds in this role. He is a nasty fellow, like you would expect Boss Hogg to be. But his role is very serious and Reynolds looks nothing like the Boss Hogg that I remember from the TV series.

Jessica Simpson is ok as Daisy Duke and, I must confess, she isn't as useless as I expected her to be. She is nothing special in the movie, and she isn't as hot as Catherine Bach was on the TV show. But she fulfills the role well enough to earn her a passing grade. Most of her time in the movie is spent showing skin and distracting the law enforcement officials so her cousins Bo and Luke can get out of trouble. To that, she performs at an acceptable level.

One surprise in this movie was Lynda Carter. Most people remember her as Wonder Woman and here, she plays a role a little bit different for her- as Pauline, a friend of the family. Another surprise was A.J. Foyt IV, playing himself, getting ready to challenge Bo Duke and his General Lee for the racing championship trophy. There is even a guest appearance by comedian Rip Taylor.

To keep the entertainment moving, this movie offers a fun soundtrack that combines southern rock music with a few other songs, like Jessica Simpson herself covering Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots are Made for Walking". Musical artists like Lynyrd Skynrd, Allman Brothers Band, Charlie Daniels Band, Molly Hatchet, and others offer some fast- moving, southern- fried rock tunes to get you in the mood for some southern culture. They are good for the movies pace, too, since they are fast, driving- type tunes.

Overall, the "Dukes of Hazzard" movie is an ok film that deserves either a two or three star rating. I'm going to round my 2.5 rating to 3 stars and give this film a small recommendation. The acting and the casting are questionable in some instances, but the movie offers a few funny moments and the action is non- stop from beginning to end; with car chases, shooting scenes, fights, and everything else that one would expect from the Duke family. If you're looking for an exact replica of the television series, you will leave the theater with a bad taste in your mouth. But if you can avoid making comparisons between the television show and this movie (something that is difficult to do), then you should be able to find a little something worthwhile in the "Dukes of Hazzard". It isn't going to win any Oscars, but it provides enough entertainment value to justify the matinee viewing price.