Cheap McHale's Navy (1997) (DVD) (Tom Arnold, Dean Stockwell, Ernest Borgnine) (Bryan Spicer) Price

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Customer Reviews of McHale's Navy (1997)

Kinda Corny, but it's pretty dang good!
I enjoyed this movie immensley, I almost didn't watch it because I thought it wouldn't be that great due to the others reviews, but I really like it and plan on buying it VERY soon!
The one thing I don't like about it is in the beginning theres at least 7 references to sex, and after that about 2 more in the middle of the movie. BUT, other than that, the movie rocks.
I don't know why no one finds this movie funny, maybe it's me, I usually go for those nutty-don't make that much sense-comedy movies.
Tom Arnold was great playing McHale, the other actors did good too but I have to say Tim Curry as Vladikov (The second best terrorist in the world *rolls eyes*) really made the movie, he's so funny and brought a lot more greatness to the movie than the others did. I loved his eastern european accent, kinda sexy ;-) (of course his voice is sexy all together.)

*Ahem* Anyway, if you're anything like me, you'll like this movie. But in case you're not, rent it first. Just in case.

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very entertaining, but re-viewability may not be too high.
the characters are enjoyable to watch. a good movie for Tim Curry fans, Tom Arnold fans, or Bruce Campbell fans... as their characters are played out very well. great writing, fantastic direction, and the acting is fun to watch because the actors seem to have genuinely enjoyed doing this movie. the only thing is, this may only be a "rental" for most people... not a "buyer". check it out at your local block-buster or family video first, you may be pleasently suprised.

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It was like they never ever watched the original TV series
The television series "McHale's Navy" aired between "Sgt. Bilko" and "Hogan's Heroes," and all three of these military situation comedies had in common the fact that the leader of each little group played outside the rules and an expert con artist. But there was also the idea that Bilko, McHale, and Hogan were also the smartest men around, which explained how they were able to get away with so much. With "McHale's Navy" you had the Oscar winning actor Ernest Borgnine in the role, with Tim Conway and Joe Flynn providing comic relief. This is a tried and true formula: if you look at the early years of "M*A*S*H" you will find the same situation, with Hawkeye and Trapper running rings around their commanding officer and a pair of troublesome majors. However, this formula is totally jettisoned in this 1997 theatrical film that is so bad it makes you wonder how the original series lasted four years.

Tom Arnold did a surprisingly good job as Arnold Swarzenegger's right hand man in "True Lies," but in this film he is taking a step backwards to the character he played on "Roseanne." Not that he was bad in that role, but that is not the character of McHale. With Arnold in the role you get the feeling he is ahead of the game, not because he is smarter than the others, but mainly because they are so stupid. Nor does casting Dean Stockwell as an even more moronic Captain Binghampton seem like a good move either. However, even this move looks pretty good compared to the decision to give McHale a pet pig...

The story is set in today rather than back in World War II, with McHale retired in the Carribean; which explains why anybody is still piloting a PT boat around. But this means that McHale and his crew are no longer part of the system that they were always bucking, which is another nail in the comic premise of this film when compared to the television show. We then have Tim Curry as Maj. Vladikov, a Russian terrorist, who is out to get McHale. I would not think comedies about terrorists were particularly funny back then, so this film fails on two scores in that regard. But I really cannot get beyond the fact that the names are kept the same, but pretty much everything else has changed beyond recognition.

Ironically several well-known television stars are running around in supporting parts. David Alan Grier plays Ensign Parker this time around, and his take on the character is at least different enough not to be totally insulting. Debra Messing is the film's female lead, Lt. Penelope Carpenter, and French Stewart has the old Gavin McLeod role of Happy. Borgnine makes the token appearance by a original cast member, so there is at least that one moment where you get to smile at something that happens in this sad little film. "McHale's Navy" is the film that proved that no film version of a television sit com could be so bad that Hollywood would stop making them.