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Movie Review by Donna Schwartz Mills: "Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course" Reviewed July, 2002 Distributor: MGM/UA MPAA Rating: PG (for "action violence/peril and mild language") Mom Rating: 4 out of 5 Kid Rating: 4 out of 5 Cast: Steve Irwin, Terri Irwin, Bindi Sue Irwin, Steve Bastoni, Kate Behan, Lachy Hulme, Magda Szubanski, David Wenham While watching this film, I tried to imagine how the producers approached screenwriter Holly Goldberg Sloan approached the project: "Well, we've got this guy in shorts who wrestles with poisonous snakes and alligators while talking a mile a minute about how dangerous they all are. He is going to star as himself and he's not an actor. We've also signed his wife to play herself and she can't act, either. Wanna give it a try?" Thankfully, Ms. Sloan did not write Steve Irwin a part where he had to save the world a la James Bond or Arnold Schwarzenegger. Instead, she allowed Steve to be Steve, performing the same schtick he does every night on cable TV... while grafting on an outlandish plot about a spying device lost from a satellite which is chased down by competing factions of the CIA. And of course, the device is traced to Australia, where unknown to anyone else, it has been swallowed by a big, cranky crocodile. Strangely enough, it all works - thanks to the infectious happy energy of Mr. Irwin, who wrangles lizards, snakes, gigantic venomous spiders and the aforementioned croc, all the while expounding on the wonders of nature and the need to respect all creatures and our fragile ecosystems. It was entertaining *and* educational for both children and parents. My daughter grabbed my arm and held it tight while Steve was trying to avoid being bitten by a huge snake he was trying to capture... and she giggled with glee when he examined some lizard "poo" and explained what it told him about the animal that left it. Her favorite part was when Steven and Terri rescue a "joey," a baby kangaroo whose mum was hit by a car. If your kids enjoy watching Crocodile Hunter on TV, they will absolutely love this film. | Back to List | Donna Schwartz Mills is the webmaster Mommy of SocalMoms.com, a new resource for moms in Southern California. She is also the work-at-home expert behind the ParentPreneur Club and editor/owner of Family-Content.com. Reprinted with permission.