With the 'Ernest' film series, there are people who get much entertainment out of them and finds a lot of appeal in Ernest. There are also people who dislike, or even outright hate, the films and find the character annoying. Both viewpoints are understandable.
For me, while they are not great films, the 'Ernest' films are mostly silly harmless fun that don't try to be any more than they need to be, and should be taken for what they are, rather than having any stereotypical notion of what a film of a certain genre or overall ought to do. They're mostly uneven but entertaining in a guilty pleasure sort of way, and Ernest is the sort of the character one can relate to easily. The sort of character that is a well-intended serial bungler with a strong heart but always finding himself messing up.
To me, the series' fifth film 'Ernest Rides Again' is an entertaining and worthy entry, if rather uneven. It's hardly one of the worst of the series, but to me there are better films too, such as the previous three films after 'Ernest Goes to Camp' (so 'Saves Christmas', 'Goes to Jail' and 'Scared Stupid').
'Ernest Rides Again' wasn't perfect from personal opinion. The final scenes are clumsily staged and improbable, even for an 'Ernest' film, while the villains are weakly and repetitively characterised (to me Tom Butler was slumming it and didn't really pose that much of an antagonist).
Character of Abner had his moments, he is more the straight-man guy and it's in these moments where the characterisation fares best, but the film also has a brasher side that jars and doesn't fit as a partner for Ernest or in the film. Ron James does play him well all things considered. Some of the physical comedy is a little childish and rather crude which also sticks out like a sore thumb.
However, 'Ernest Rides Again' is one of the better-looking 'Ernest' films. Loved the colourful locations and the photography is nowhere near as cheap and hasty as it can be. The soundtrack is nostalgic and energetic, and there are some very funny (if not particularly, but pretty much deliberately so, sophisticated) lines and wonderfully manic gags, anything with the cannon being among the highlights.
Another thing that 'Ernest Rides Again' does better than most other 'Ernest' films is that there is more story here and generally, apart from at the end, it takes itself more seriously, with more of a serious tone, which can be seen in the sincere and important (if not exactly subtle) moral. The energy levels are still high.
Jim Varney is still very funny and likable and James does quite well with a character that could have been better and more consistently written. Linda Kash is an amusing scene-stealer. It was only really with the villains where there were signs of bad acting, this said that may be just me.
Overall, entertaining if uneven. 6/10 Bethany Cox
