Flipper (1996)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Alan Shapiro

Writers (WGA):

Ricou Browning (story) and
Jack Cowden (story) ...

Release Date:

17 May 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Adventure

Tagline:

This summer it's finally safe to go back in the water.

Plot:

Sandy Ricks is sent by his mom to Coral Key, a rustic island in the Florida keys, to spend the summer with his uncle Porter Ricks...

Plot Keywords:

Uncle | Summer | Florida Keys | Dolphin | Florida

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Elijah Wood	...	Sandy Ricks
Paul Hogan	...	Porter Ricks
Jonathan Banks	...	Dirk Moran
Robert Deacon	...	Bounty Fisherman #1
Ann Carey	...	Fisherman's Wife
Mark Casella	...	Bounty Fisherman #2
Luke Halpin	...	Bounty Fisherman #3
Bill Kelley	...	Tommy
Chelsea Field	...	Cathy
Jason Fuchs	...	Marvin
Lindsay Treco	...	Little Girl
Jessica Wesson	...	Kim
Mal Jones	...	Russ
Louis Seeger Crume	...	Mr. Dunnahy
Bill Nolan	...	Bartender

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | DTS-Stereo (35 mm prints) | DTS (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG (certificate #34460) | Brazil:Livre | South Korea:All | Finland:S | Germany:6 (w) | Portugal:M/6 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:PG | Singapore:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Nassau, New Providence Island, Bahamas

Company:

American Films

Trivia:

Director Alan Shapiro originally wanted 'an entirely unknown' for the role of 'Kim'. However, felt that most of the girls that screen tested with Elijah Wood were too 'giggly'. He decided to cast someone with more experience.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sandy is swimming underwater with Flipper after being knocked off the dock while working, his watch and armbands flip hands during one scene with his watch on the right wrist and armbands on the left.

Quotes:

Sandy Ricks: You're lucky, a hurricane on your first visit.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: (#30.9)" (2003)

'Willy' nilly

My Take: Even splendid underwater photography can salvage a familiar script and paper-thin characters.

For those who haven't already got enough of the FREE WILLY pictures, FLIPPER might serve up a decent rental. Others are (heavily) suggested to stay away. Although FLIPPER is harmless affair, it hardly showcases anything for the adult audience (unless it's your first time to see a dolphin).

A remake of a 1960's TV show and film, FLIPPER may have sound like a good idea back then: A dolphin charms the life of boy and a girl, they help ave the environment by first getting rid of toxic wastes thrown in on the sparkling waters of the Florida Keys, and at the same time, battle a shark and a salty sea baddie who happens to be the one responsible for the toxic dumping and also happens to hate dolphins. But even for the 90's, especially if an eerily similar film like FREE WILLY was a recent hit, FLIPPER is just another harmless yet occasionally empty summer splash movie for the kids. Although the animals (this, in case, is the main dolphin, a clumsy pelican and a realistic-looking hammerhead shark, typecast as the villain) and the pristine underwater cinematography steal the show, there's nothing much in FLIPPER to steal from anyway.

The story is completely predictable, something than nowadays even a 6-year old may find evident. The (Human) cast, led by a pre-LORD OF THE RINGS Elijah Wood and an out-of-work Paul Hogan, have rarely anything to do but stand around and look pretty. Their acting skills, whatever they may be to this movie, is rarely revealed on screen, unless you consider the "acting" talents of cheerful Bottlenose Dolphin. I guess not trying to recommend FLIPPER as mindless family entertainment won't be fair, but anyone over the age of 10 (No, make that 8), are better off renting or buying something else. Besides, the film is about 95 minutes tops. That might just give you enough time to something elsewhere without worrying about your kids. That alone might be worth the rental.

Rating: ** out of 5.