The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee

Being a fan of the Crocodile Dundee movies and actor Paul Hogan this film was a guilty pleasure, although apart from him referencing his most famous character creation this has little to do with those films because here Paul Hogan is playing himself to a degree, as a faded Hollywood star who just wants to retire but instead gets persuaded to step into the limelight one last time to secure a knighthood, please his granddaughter and restore his legacy but of course things all go pear shaped which is where most of the fun is to be had.

It's a paper thin plot device and Hogan actually looks as reluctant as the persona he plays on screen to want to appear in the movie at times but he is 80 years old now in real life and is light years away from the charismatic Crocodile Dundee, however this self referential, tongue in cheek swipe at Hollywood, his career and the politically correctness of modern times is an amusing diversion if instantly forgettable.

Chevy Chase, John Cleese and Olivia Newton-John are unnecessarily shoe horned into proceedings and I was half expecting Linda Kozlowski to pop up at some point but she doesn't. It's light hearted, good natured and well intentioned but you are left asking yourself why did they feel the need to make this and parade Paul Hogan as a shadow of his former self. Fans will enjoy it but newcomers to the actor won't until you've watched the original Crocodile Dundee (1986).